The Magical Mokona Doll
by CLAMPraven
Summary: (Tsubasa-RC) (Alternate Universe) A homeless Fye discovers Mokona, who vows to help him find true love. (shounen-ai) Ch. 7: Fye's past is revealed, and a resolution comes to light. {Complete}
1. Searching for a reason

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The Magical Mokona Doll

By CLAMPraven

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Disclaimer: 

I own five dollars worth of lunch money and a piece of strawberry lace. If anyone wishes to partake of my immense fortunes by suing me, go ahead. I dare you to try and take my food away from me. ^-^;; 

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Warnings: 

Yes, this fic contains shounen-ai. Everybody better know what that means. There's going to be a lot of shounen-ai couplings, but a few other types of couplings as well (I'm a sucker for Syaoran/Sakura as much as the rest of you kiddies). Who's Fye going to be paired up with? Well, if you can't guess after the first few chapters, then I suppose it'll have to be a surprise. Got a problem with that? 

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Author's Notes (written before the actual fic):

Oh, dear. -_-;; It seems as though I haven't been to Fanfiction.net in a long, LONG time…my wit and self-deprecating humor are not as sharp as they used to be! However, I will try my best. ^-^

This is a crossover fic from the many romantic and often whimsical series of CLAMP; I'm not sure whether it actually addresses a meaningful theme, though. 

I thought of the entire plot while lying in my bed. It was 5:00 in the morning, and the mischievous full moon was peeking through my window (that naughty peeping Tom ^-^), its light cascading all over my bed. I'd eaten way too many dumplings last night, and I felt somewhat less inclined towards sleep than I would've wanted. Hence, some rather scary thoughts occurred to me, all influenced by the first few volumes of Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle…well, with some influence by my recurring stomach pain. It was something like a 2-hour hallucination. ^-^;;

I like Fye. Perhaps I like him a little bit too much…so much so, in fact, that I've made him a hobo (Am I sadistic or what?) ^______^;;;. All the other CLAMP characters are a little bit odd here, too. I haven't written any fanfics in a long time, so forgive me if any of them come out of character, okey dokey? (Actually, I'm more likely to come out of character than they are…eheh…). Since I have pretty much the entire plot in my head, and I am somewhat forgetful, I will attempt to put all of them on paper as quickly as possible – while imitating CLAMP's style and cleverness - which may result in irreversible brain damage for all of you at home. I don't know. ^-^; You took that chance when you started reading, so HA!

Ahem…_composure_… -;;;

So, um, yes. Go on. Please. Read at your own risk. ^-^ And REVIEW, _mes petits_ _paresses_. (Can you tell I'm Canadian yet?)

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CHAPTER 1

Searching for a reason…

It was a blustery night…a night of the hustle and bustle of the streets, for it was the night of the full moon, a rare and wondrous event. The dingy streets were filled with smoke and an all-consuming racket of people and their loud problems. 

"Hey, you! Don't loiter around the entrance!"

"Make way for the paying customers!"

"Dirty hobos…they lounge around everywhere, and expect you to pity them when they're making them lose their business! Well, what are you waiting for? Leave!"

The night was a crowded place. Surely nature didn't intend for people to be this crowded. But when an animal has power over others, and is surrounded by nothing but its own kind, there is bound to be fear, sin…negligence. And so it was with men.

When one needs to remind oneself of humanity's negligence, one only needs to travel to the innermost nooks and crannies of an industrious city. 

A city such as Tokyo, perhaps.

And all that one person needs to do is look carefully. After all, they're hiding everywhere…behind the battered dumpsites and within the ugly alleyways, camouflaging their hearts and their exotic mysteries. 

"Who is that guy? Wasn't he here an hour ago?"

"Oh, him? I've seen him before. He always walks around Tsubasa Park, feeding the doves, or whatever it is he does. He doesn't have a home to go to."

"I wonder where he goes at night…"

"He doesn't look half bad."

"What?"

"Ugh! How could you say that?"

"Never mind, never mind!"

"Well, all the same, let's get going. I don't like looking at people like that. It unnerves me. Plus, it's depressing. Let's go to the movies!"

"Yeah!" 

Not many people look for the homeless. They don't want to…it doesn't bring them joy or retribution for their evils. The homeless serve no purpose to them.

But that doesn't make them insubstantial.

Does it?

_"If the tree falls and nobody hears it, does it make a noise?" _

A question of reality, that is, and most difficult to answer. But the individual homeless person must believe that he is real, that it would matter if he lived or died…for belief is the most important thing in the world.

Heck, it's even more important than love.

-

Fye knew that he was real. He knew that he mattered. Otherwise, he thought to himself, the store clerks wouldn't get angry when he blocked the doorways to their shops, nor would the schoolgirls chatter whenever he came by.

He was a definite nuisance for them, something to be feared.

He mattered.

But would he ever make someone happy? A person he loved? 

"So many couples are in Tsubasa Park tonight…! They must've all come out to bask in the moonlight," Fye smiled, as he passed the intricate design of the gate from outside, "and probably in the eyes of their beloved."

Kneeling down on the sidewalk, he scattered some of the crumbs from the bread that he had received from a kind baker that afternoon, and waited patiently for the crows to come. They were always out at this time of night. Fye didn't even need to coax them with gentle words. They knew him, and came anyway…sometimes on nights when he didn't even have any food to share.

"It's a bit stale, but it should be all right. Come now, little birds…don't feed on the scraps inside the park. The lovers there may find you bothersome on this lovely night, and they certainly wouldn't like it if I went in…but you can feed out here. I rather like your company."

One by one, the birds settled down onto the ashen gray concrete, all of them black as the countryside night sky. Squawking and pecking noisily, they created quite a scene as they fought for the delectable crumbs, seemingly bickering fiercely with one another. With a wistful smile, Fye left them to their harrowing task. 

"Every day for the last year and a half, I've seen these crows." He sighed, and shook his head. A sad expression rested upon his gentle eyes. "And all they've ever done is fight amongst one another, every time I gave them food. They don't ever seem to change."

Slowly, wonderingly, Fye raised his head to the myriad of stars above.

"I don't ever seem to change, either. Sometimes, I wonder…am I only a wandering crow myself? All I do is beg, and continue walking, but…"

He turned away. His dirty face was a pale image of confusion. The shades of damp red around his eyes made him look weak, vulnerable to the passerby. His lips trembled with the cold of the night, and by his troubled nerves alike. 

"…Where am I going? What am I even doing? What do I live to accomplish…? A few years ago, I had my dreams and selfish wishes, but now…"

A moment of silence followed the ominous questions. After a period of painful thought, Fye wiped the mist away from his eyes with the backs of his gloved hands with a swift motion, and forced himself to look up again. The moon shined blazingly bright in the evening's gloom, reflecting the artificial lights of industry and commerce, and he smiled fiercely back at it, somewhat wider than his habitual grin. He refused to whimper or cry…it didn't become him.

Especially not under the glare of such a moon, he knew. 

"What am I saying…? How can I cry on an evening this beautiful?" He laughed, and indeed, there was a hint of agony there, but the young man was a talented thespian, and he disguised his pain wonderfully. 

"The moon is in the sky, and I have a bit of dinner. To worry about anything grave tonight would be to act a fool! All I need is the happiness of the occasion, and the company of crows." He sighed blissfully. "It sure is wonderful luck, that allows me to be this comfortable tonight."

The world is wonderful! Everything is wonderful! 

Stunned, Fye blinked, and spun around, his muddy rags flying out behind him. That was no echo. "Who…?"

But it looks like there's something missing in your life! What could it be? 

Glancing around in puzzlement, he checked all around, but couldn't seem to locate the person who spoke. All around him, the indifferent crowd rushed past, their tedious conversations clashing in Fye's sensitive ears (he did, after all, walk alone most of the time)…and yet he couldn't locate the voice who talked to him. 

Who would want to talk to him?

What could be missing? Mokona wonders… 

It was then that he saw it.

Standing near the steel gate of Tsubasa Park and peeking out from within a thick bush, was a round pink creature, about the size of a large rabbit. 

It didn't resemble anything that he'd ever seen before. Rotund and positively adorable in appearance, the creature had thin, slit-like eyes and a very mischievous expression on its face, making it look like a pixie. Moreover, it directed its enigmatic gaze at Fye and Fye alone, without blinking or twitching a muscle. There was also a semblance of an oval-shaped jewel upon its forehead, some sort of red ornament. 

It wiggled its ears merrily as it waved a tiny stub of an arm at its awestruck victim-to-be. 

Yes, look here - look here! I'm here! Mokona knows what it is you're missing! Mokona knows – you're missing _love_! 


	2. Leave it to me!

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The Magical Mokona Doll

By CLAMPraven

****

Disclaimer & Warnings: 

Same things apply in all chapters.

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CHAPTER 2

Leave it to me!

"Love…?"

Fye was fearful of this little creature, but it looked simply comical, sticking its head out from the bush, that he decided to partake in its little game. No one around them paid them any regard, and so he crept closer, closer to the seemingly harmless creature who would shape his destiny.

Yes, yes! The creature nodded fervently. Mokona is here to help you find love! Please carry me into the park. I'll guide you towards the things that you desire! Now, hurry! 

Extending his arms, he picked up the fragile little thing from within the bush, and glanced around to make sure no one saw his rather peculiar behavior. Stuffing the creature within his flimsy sweater, he carried it in his arms like he would a baby, and walked through the gates of Tsubasa Park.

Within the park, the atmosphere was remarkably tranquil. Not a bird twittered, and the only noise heard was the delicate symphony of the water fountains, spewing crystal droplets upon a sea of broken reflections. 

Fye had always loved the park, but didn't visit it often anymore, for the wardens often glared at him in a displeasing manner, and spoke around him in hushed voices. It was because he'd outsmarted them. He had – 4 months before – made it a habit to sleep in the Park long after the gates had been locked; none of the wardens or policemen could ever find him. He was a quiet sleeper, ducking behind sharp branches and glistening statues in order not to be caught.

And yet, one night, he was caught nonetheless; having starved for days, he'd become disoriented and had let his weakness pound him to a dreamless sleep in an open area, where he was easily seen. Fye wasn't allowed to enter the park for days, causing him to realize that he often had no control over his own weariness, and it was the last thing that he should've done, to get into scrapes of that sort. 

So he stopped. 

He despised sleeping in the unruly filth of the street…not for its garbage nor for its apparent gloom, but for the incessant noises. In the park, only placidity greeted his ear, and he loved resting there. But now, he only dared walk there when permitted. He didn't want to cause trouble.

The serenity of the night prompted him to – when the coast was clear – take Mokona out from underneath the grime and dust of his sweater.

"What do you mean?" He asked, his eyes confused. "And what are you?"

Mokona means that you don't have a soul mate, the most important thing. No one has reciprocated the feelings of your heart yet, the creature responded shrewdly. And yet, with Mokona, someone will. I will help you to find the most important thing. With a soul mate, Fye's life will have meaning! 

It winked. And as for your other question, Mokona is Mokona! I am a travelling messenger of love. Think of me as your personal Cupid! 

Fye raised a thin eyebrow. "Personal Cupid…?" He chuckled, and gazed at it apologetically. "I'm sorry, Mokona-san, but love is the last thing I need right now. I have enough trouble getting by in the world without love, as you can probably see."

He gestured to his dirty rags. 

"Thank you anyway, though. You're very kind."

But nonetheless, Mokona shook its head.

No, no! Everyone needs a loved one! Fye has no family; therefore, he needs a loved one much more than the average person! 

Fye frowned, perplexed. "How is it that…you know so much about me? We'd just met…"

Mokona is very intelligent. In order to find you a loved one, Mokona must know many of the things that make Fye the Fye that he is! Also, Mokona must know many things about the world of people, the individuals in Tokyo and beyond. Mokona will find you a proper soul mate only by knowing your strengths and weaknesses, how you respond to other people. Mokona… it narrowed its eyes even further, causing it to look somewhat devilish, …has been watching Fye for a long time now. 

Seeing that Fye was too amazed to say anything, it clicked its tongue. Fye doesn't know as much about people as Mokona does, that is for certain. Fye can trust Mokona in this task. Leave it to me! 

Utterly awestruck by Mokona's professionalism, Fye considered the proposition seriously for a moment. When he was just beginning to converse with the creature, he had thought that he was dreaming, or hallucinating perhaps. He'd thought that, if he'd just talk himself out of the illusion and into a state of sensibility, he would wake up for certain.

But the air and the crisp sounds in his ear carried a degree of realism that he could not deny, and Mokona…

Well, Mokona was Mokona.

It was hard to say no to such a face. 

"True love…"

Fye knew that lately, he'd felt a sense of depression and insomnia setting in. His mind was muddled, and he was no longer in constant cheer. Something was happening to him that he could not comprehend.

Maybe Mokona was right…

Maybe, just maybe, he was missing the joy of falling in love.

Sighing, he smiled helplessly at the creature. Even underneath the messy locks of soft hair, one could see that in his shapely eyes, there was more than the serenity of resignation…there was hope.

"What do I have to lose?"

-

The two continued walking through the park, Mokona sitting comfortably atop Fye's seemingly frail shoulders. The moon shined down upon them as they paced around, illuminating the trees and the drowsy tulips.

"So, what do I do?" Fye whispered softly to Mokona. The couples scattered across the park had all naturally assumed the rotund entity to be a large doll. 

Keep walking through the park! Mokona had a confident tone to his voice that Fye could not help but smile nervously at. Stay on the path; Mokona will tell you when to stop. 

About half a minute of silence followed, as Fye trotted on obediently, basking in the light of the cosmos above. Then…

There! Do you see that boy at the fountain? 

Glancing towards the elegant mermaid-shaped fountain in the center of the park, he spotted said boy, sitting on the bench beside the towering structure. The child was in his teenage years, with a rather lanky frame. He had short brown hair and dark chestnut eyes, and his lips were pursed in deep thought. His back was hunched over, and his fingers locked together in a rather nervous gesture.

His eyes darted to the entrance, and back to the ground again. Beside him were a stack of books, and a small teddy bear.

He appeared to be waiting for someone…

"Yes, I see him," Fye responded, albeit a bit confused. "What should I do now, Mokona-san?"

Go and talk to him, Mokona responded, with a small smile. 

"But…I don't even know him…"

Just talk to him! He knows who I am. He'll recognize Mokona. 

Fye looked bewildered.

"He's just a kid…don't you think that he's rather young for me…?"

Mokona shook its head frantically. No! Syaoran is not for you to like! He has already met the one he loves, because Mokona helped him! Just go up to him and talk! Your loved one comes _later_! 

"Oh? I'm sorry, Mokona-san."

Just go ahead, Mokona gestured. This is part of your test of belief. Syaoran will help you believe in Mokona's ability to find you a loved one. And Fye must believe. Belief is the foundation of love…it's crucial. 

Fye nodded, slowly understanding the purpose. "Okay, then…"

"Hey!"

Blinking, Fye turned towards the boy, who had already stood up and was approaching him with a look of amazement. "But it seems, Mokona-san, that he's already recognized you…"

And sure enough, he had. Dashing around the garden arrangements and thorny hedges, Syaoran came to a sharp stop in front of Fye. On his face was etched an utter disbelief, but also a light of recognition. 

"That's Mokona!"

Fye nodded gingerly. "You do know this thing, then…"

Mokona folded its arms haughtily. I just told you so! You'd better believe Mokona! 

"Mokona once spoke to me, too," Syaoran stared at Fye with a mixture of wonderment and pride. The boy seemed to glow with happiness. "It was responsible for uniting me with my Sakura. It's good to know that Mokona is continuing to help people…to help them find true love."


	3. Everything will surely be all right!

**The Magical Mokona Doll**

By CLAMPraven

**Disclaimer & Warnings: **

Same things apply in all chapters.

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CHAPTER 3

Everything will surely be all right!

"I met Sakura about a year ago, on White Day."

The two had seated themselves upon the wooden bench, at the foot of the looming mermaid fountain. The tinkering of the water was as a slender waterfall, and they reclined to the serenity that it provided. In the shadow of the beautiful structure that was the fountain, they found that the moon was ever the more radiant, and looked upon it blissfully. Mokona, now seated in Syaoran's lap, was preoccupied with humming to itself; it seemed to be pondering something, though goodness knew the intensity of the little creature's mind by simply looking at the precocious thing's appearance.

The younger boy smiled awkwardly at Fye, turning away embarrassedly. "I guess it doesn't really matter to you…"

Fye shook his head politely, and sighed. "No…it does. It's wonderful to be able to remember a special day. I don't recall the details of my special days anymore; it's good for me, to listen to someone who is happily recalling childhood memories."

"I wouldn't want you to feel uncomfortable. These are personal details…"

"I'm flattered that you would want to tell me these details, if they are so personal."

"…" 

Syaoran gazed thoughtfully at Fye, perceiving a dormant intelligence within this homeless man. Surely, he'd seen many things, and experienced many things that the average person would not…but perhaps he had not yet seen a true friend, nor had he experienced absolute trust. What would it hurt…to tell him more about the relationship between him and his beloved one?

After all, Mokona seemed to believe that the man was honest, and would not scrutinize his comments. This man, this "Fye", was only curious to hear him speak of love, curious at the indescribable sensation of falling in love.

Smiling softly, the boy tilted his head at Fye, contemplating where to start. "Did Mokona tell you anything about me? Because, you know, that would make my role much easier…"

"No…sorry." The older man shook his head, looking somewhat apologetic. "I only know what you've told me thus far."

Wincing, Syaoran leaned back on the bench and exhaled softly, his arms outstretched in the direction of the sky. This could possibly be very difficult…explaining his relationship to a stranger he'd met but a few minutes ago. He'd never been very articulate, even amongst the people who are closest to his heart, and his time spent with Sakura had taught him that fact well. When he was anxious or neurotic, any word he could enunciate properly between his heavy blushing and his chattering teeth was a miracle.

"If it's too much trouble – " Fye interjected between his thoughts, a worried look on his face.

"No, no, it's okay." Syaoran dismissed this with a wave of his hand, and flashed a friendly smile. "It really is. I'm just…getting my thoughts in order. Besides…if this will help you believe in Mokona and its purposes, then I'm all for it. Perhaps Mokona knows its importance better than I do, but it seems like…this is something that you need to hear."

-

"Sakura is cute. She says 'hanyaan' a lot…but don't let that fool you. She has a very sensible head, even if it's a little naïve. What else can you say about a girl who's afraid of ghost stories at my age? She daydreams sometimes, and is often distracted; she's pretty clumsy, too. I've seen her drop her baton at cheerleading practices more than I can count. All the same, Sakura works hard, and she always means well. She's a very emotional girl…someone who can sympathize with others easily, and who cares for her many friends. Well, anyway, that's the simplest I can describe her. There's a lot more to her, of course…but the way I see her is something many people wouldn't understand anyway. It's not something I can explain…only feel - the sensation that she is the right person for me.

"She's always believed that…no matter what hardships come your way, so long as you believe, everything would be all right."

Syaoran chuckled wryly.

"I wasn't like that at all. At least, I wasn't when I first met her. 

"It was White Day. The cherry blossoms exploded into bright colors that time of year, and there was certain beauty in the world. The merry atmosphere was not to be ignored, on the day that boys reciprocate the feelings of the girls who loved them. At my school, it was particularly confusing, considering the number of students and staff who'd prepared presents. They were all flying around."

"Which school were you attending?" Fye asked, already enthralled by the look in Syaoran's eyes as he described every detail.

"I was actually attending CLAMP Campus that month," Syaoran explained. "I was supposed to be going to another elementary school at the time, but the thing was, it had become a restricted zone. The police were picking up evidence there for a large-scale crime."

"Oh?"

Laughing, Syaoran's mouth twisted into an embarrassed grin. "The premise for that heist was laughable. The legendary thief Twenty Faces had come to our school, believe it or not, and actually managed to steal the King Penguin slide from the playground – it's one of the most recognizable symbols of the establishment, but it's hard to say what he wanted that for. In any case, the slide was a huge thing; in trying to pick it up with a crane and avoiding the police at the same time, he demolished most of the classrooms from the 2nd to the 6th grades." He winced. "At that particular time, there was evidence flying around – well, actually, it could've been a rumor – that Twenty Face's true identity was one of the students of CLAMP Campus…so the Campus volunteered to host the lessons and exams that our school was supposed to have that month."

"I didn't know much about CLAMP Campus; it was my first visit there, and the facilities were so complete that I could hardly believe my eyes. The school was beautiful. But despite my ignorance about the place, I knew for certain that Mokona was not supposed to be there."

He patted Mokona's head, looking sheepish all the while. 

"By the time White Day came along, I had just recently entered the school, so I didn't know many people. Me and the other kids from my school were separated into different classes, and it was an awful feeling not being able to find my way anywhere, or being able to locate most of my friends. 

"The appearance of Mokona didn't make my stay there any easier. I first spotted him on Inomoyama Nokoru's desk in the Council Room, after I missed half of a class stumbling around the halls; I thought the stress of not being able to find the room was making me hallucinate. Then, when I was attending a lecture by Dr. Shigetaka Akechi-san about the importance of school safety, I saw it again…and it was waving at me from the windowsill."

"I can't imagine how that must've felt."

"Yeah, it was awkward." Syaoran sweatdropped. "I sort of screamed and threw a textbook at it…it wasn't the most tactful thing I'd ever done. Then after that infamous hissy fit, I ran for the door and accidentally crashed into the Duklyon as they were charging by. They were trying to stop a madman from world domination, or something." He wrinkled his nose. "I don't remember much after that. But it's sort of scary how fast information travels in CLAMP Campus; within a day, everyone knew what had happened. 

"But despite all the trouble I got into, Mokona kept following me around relentlessly. One day, I'd see it hiding behind a puffer fish statue. The next minute, it'd be hitching a ride on Ohkawa Utako's back as she's rushing off to her class. It was _everywhere_. You cannot imagine how much I wanted to leave that academy.

"Then one day, it came to me late in the afternoon, when I was just about to leave my last class. It finally introduced myself, and hastily beckoned me to follow it. I kept asking it what was wrong, but it just kept repeating, True love! True love! Syaoran must see her today! 

"Completely clueless, I grabbed the little creature in my arms, and rushed in the direction it pointed in – namely, the office. It was an overactive little tyke; while I was running down the halls dashing like I was possessed, it kept bouncing in my arms and still screamed like it had energy to spare. I can't remember how many times people stared at me that day…and the worst thing about it all was that, after the whole affair was over, I had to try and explain to everyone what was going on. I had no idea myself. It was so embarrassing that I can't even remember what I said; I think my excuse had something to do with being an amateur ventriloquist…

"In any case, we finally made it to the 4th grade division Council Office, where I'd first seen Mokona. And that's when I first saw her."

Syaoran sighed deeply, closing his eyes. "Of course, it was White Day, and as such, the Council Room was decorated in a splendid fashion, all decked with pastel ribbons and adorned with shimmering sequins. There was white silk draped across the ceiling, red bows dangling above the inviting doorway. The desks were laden with containers filled with chocolate candies and platters supporting creamy deserts. 

"There were a lot of people in the room, mainly because there was supposed to be a council meeting shortly. Takamura Suoh-san, as I remember, was shouting and waving his arms exasperatedly at Nokoru-san, because he had actually given him a White Day present ('Kaichou!! You're supposed to give this to a _girl_!' 'Well, if I recall correctly, you haven't given Nagisa-chan anything yet, even though she clearly gave you a box of chocolates on Valentine's Day…' 'Don't change the subject!!'). Meanwhile, Iyjuin Akira-san was cooking up a batch of chocolates to give to his two mothers. There were several teachers in the room, as well as a multitude of other girls, but I wasn't paying attention to them.

"Do you believe in love at first sight? No? I didn't used to, either…but there was something about Sakura that immediately caught my eye, as I walked tentatively into that room. She was positively glowing, as she sat next to her best friend, chatting quietly. What was it about her…? I don't know. Many people would say she was as normal as they came. But the depth of her eyes, her sweet voice…it was extraordinary, just standing there, being in her presence.

"At that time, I didn't realize it, but she was, like Mokona foresaw, my true love.

"On that day – as I later found out – her best friend Tomoyo's application had been accepted by CLAMP Campus, and Sakura – whose grades were average – was accompanying her. Tomoyo-chan was a kindly girl, and very devoted to Sakura, so the fact that she was accepted into such a prestigious school upset her as much as it delighted her. Sakura was on the verge of crying, and although she grasped Tomoyo-chan's hands in a gesture of good will and acceptance, there was a distinct sadness to her voice. Standing there, just staring at the two, I felt my heart compress under an awful weight that wouldn't budge. 

"What was it about that girl? I kept wondering this in my head fruitlessly, as I watched the exchanges between the two best friends. This sadness…how is it that I can feel this sad for a person I don't even know? 

"But just then, Mokona decided to look up at me. And it figured it'd help me find the answer to that unspoken answer. Thus, it opened its mouth, and did the unthinkable."

"What happened?" Fye asked curiously.

I screamed! Mokona yapped proudly. Mokona took a deep breath and asked Sakura why Syaoran felt so sad! Then, Syaoran blushed, threw me on the ground, and ran out of the room! Sakura stared at Syaoran's back, and she blushed too. She said 'hanyaan…?' because she was confused, and Tomoyo said 'who is that? Maybe you should talk to him,' because she thought Syaoran was silly, and Sakura said - 

"All right! Okay!" Syaoran yelled, then slumped his head pathetically. "It was really, really bad. I know…mostly because Sakura had actually taken her time out to talk to me after that. I have no idea what it was that made me as lucky as I did, to befriend a girl like her…especially since I had no chocolates left to give her, since I'd given everyone my White Day presents already. But she didn't even care. She's that considerate. I don't know how I managed to get through that day.

"In any case, when my old school was repaired, chance had it that her school was actually not far away. We got to see each other more and more often after that, and I found out what a good-natured person she was. Sakura was impossible to hate…her feelings transcended onto everyone. Whenever she was sad, so was I. It was impossible not to feel her emotions they were so strong.

"I take it that she isn't still just a friend anymore," Fye ventured to ask, a gleam in his eyes. "You seem very devoted to her." 

Syaoran blushed bright red. "W-Well…yeah…"

"Syaoran!"

-

A cheery-faced girl, about Syaoran's height and age, dashed towards the bench, a smile spread wide over her face. Her hair was a light brown color, bound in red ribbons into two ponytails at the top of her head. On her arm hung a large basket, filled with what seemed like a large banquet. She seemed ecstatic to see the other child; her running steps were so blunt that Fye was afraid she would trip and fall in her glee. This was, no doubt, the girl Syaoran had described so amorously. 

"Syaoran! I – " Halting sharply in front of Fye, she paused, unsure. Her look of confusion was so adorable that the homeless man could not help but smile, withholding"Are you a friend of Syaoran's?"

"We just met, actually," Fye responded, holding out his hand in a friendly manner…then withdrawing it doubtfully.  "I'm sorry…I may be wrong, but I think I'm intruding…"

"Oh, no, of course not!" Having stopped for long enough to process the information for proper etiquette in her head, Sakura shook her head vigorously, and beamed at Fye. She grabbed the other's hand and shook it with incredible energy, then held out her basket of goodies. 

"Actually, I was afraid that I made way too much dessert, anyhow. Syaoran doesn't eat as much as a couple of my other friends, so I didn't estimate the right amount." She giggled in embarrassment. "Take one! I was working all day in the kitchen, and then my first batch of cupcakes had disappeared, so I made another batch, because I thought that for sure Keroberos had eaten them – "

Fye tilted his head. "Keroberos? That's an unusual name…"

"Eheh…never mind! Forget you heard that!" Sakura turned as red as a tomato, flustered, and Syaoran covered up his own mouth to suppress a cough. "I-In any case, it turned out that my brother Touya was hiding my first batch, so that I wouldn't be able to give them as a gift to Syaoran, since he hates Syaoran – "

"Sakura – you're rambling again…"

"Hanyaaaaaan…" Sweatdrop.

"It's very kind of you, but I can't accept this. It would be too impolite…" Fye was about to decline.

"No, please! It's okay! Besides…" Sakura winked good-naturedly, "It's not good to turn down a gift!"

-

And so, with Mokona underneath one arm, and a half a dozen cupcakes crammed in the other (Sakura's large eyes and pleasant demeanor, as he had to acknowledge, was very hard to say no to…), Fye continued walking in Tsubasa Park, significantly happier than he was before. The stars above him seemed to shine brighter than ever, and his large eyes reflected the radiant face of the moon with gentle gratefulness. 

"What did I do to deserve meeting a kind young couple like that?" he queried Mokona, who was so motionless that he appeared to be sleeping. 

No answer.

"Mokona?"

Oh! Fye! Sorry…Mokona didn't hear. Mokona feels a little bit tired right now… 

"It's okay, Mokona…" Fye dismissed this nonchalantly. "You must be getting sleepy. I wouldn't be surprised, with all the energy you've displayed tonight. What shall we do next, then?"

Pointing towards a spot in between the entwined trees yonder, Mokona seemed to retain some of that aforementioned energy. Over there! Fye should go there next. Right in the center of the circle of dark trees that grasp each other as they head towards the pinnacle of the sky, Fye would have another important talk. 

"Is my true love there?"

No, but there are important people there. Mokona smiled. True love is not easy to attain, no. Fye still has his doubts about the power of true love; Mokona can perceive it. 

"Well…"

Fye's lips pursed in thought, as a concerned light shone through his eyes. He seemed somewhat troubled. "You're right. I think. Mokona, is it natural to wonder whether the person you are in love with would forgive you for your faults? When I find the one that I'm going to love, will they be patient with me, and ignore the fact that I'm neither wealthy nor stunningly beautiful? Would they be patient, if I had to make difficult decisions in my life?"

That is what a love is for. When Fye is troubled, his loved one should be the one to believe in him. Fye might not see himself as wealthy or stunningly beautiful, but Fye's lover might think Fye is wealthy in virtue and stunningly beautiful at heart. Mokona wriggled its nose. Personally, Mokona thinks that Fye is very pretty. 

Fye blinked in surprise. "Mokona, are you sure that's the wording you're looking for…?"

Doesn't matter. Right now, Fye needs to keep going! The night is getting darker, and the park is going to be closed in another hour! And Fye hasn't even talked with Hideki and Chii yet! Keep moving! 


	4. Someone just for me

**The Magical Mokona Doll**

By CLAMPraven

**Disclaimer & Warnings: **

Same things apply in all chapters.

**Author's Notes:**

This update was slightly slower than usual...sorry about that. ^-^;; My dad's been tinkering with our family's computer, and while I was in the middle of writing Chapter 4, the computer broke down. Now, I'm starting from scratch on WordPad (yep, even Word is gone...), and so if the scenes in this story are somewhat choppy, or lack the appropriate spelling, I apologize. I'm a woman with very little patience, you see. And this program doesn't come with everything I need, so...

Oh, yes. One more thing. As you might've guessed, Hideki and Chii will be appearing in this chapter. ^-^ I love the little bumpkins, so I had to toss them in. One small explanation, though. Hideki's not in Tsubasa, from the amount that I've read, but Chii is, so he was victim to the inevitable madness of this fic anyhow. There will be others, to be sure. A certain few from Gouhou Drug will be in the next chapter, for one thing...believe me, all the details are here anyway, so it's not a spoiler.

Thanks for the reviews! I'll do my best. ^-^ 

-

CHAPTER 4

Someone just for me

"Ah, finally! The telescope's set up!" There was a loud sigh of relief. "Damn, I'd been tinkering with it the entire night! I'm no genius when it comes to machinery, but something had to come out of it all! Now we can see the stars and the moon, Chii...it's especially round tonight. Isn't it beautiful, even from here? That's the wonderful thing about the moon. In the city smog, you can't always see the sun, but the moon reflects even artificial light...the light of the earth. So it's visible pretty much every night. It's there even in the morning, too. It's a great sign of hope."

"Why is the moon always changing, Hideki? A week ago, Chii looked out the window, and it wasn't fully round. It was hiding a part of its face in the shadow..."

"Well, Chii, the reason for that is really very simple. It's because...because...well, it's..."

The young man, barely past his teenage years, had risen a finger in explanation, but now hesitated, scratching his chin. 

"No, wait, hold on, Chii...I definitely know this. It's got to have something to do with the moon's rotation...GAAAH! I can't remember!" Clutching his head in horror, the boy staggered, disbelief written all over his face. "I can't believe this! I learned this shit in the 6th grade, and I can't remember it _now_? Damn it, even Shimbo knows this shit, and he doesn't even pay that much attention in his class. He's just..." Hideki made a sardonic face, " '..._naturally gifted in science_. ' Well, if having a purple laptop - which he nicknamed as Sumomo, the infantile jerk - qualifies you as gifted, then I'm completely hopeless!"

"Hideki is hopeless..." Chii murmured questioningly, placing a finger to her lip, "...because he doesn't know shit?"

"GAAAAH!! I said my thoughts aloud again!!" Hideki lunged for Chii in desperation, shaking her shoulders forcefully. "Chii, I take it back! I'm so sorry...don't imitate your stupid mentor! He doesn't know what he's _saying_..."

The younger girl smiled innocently, reaching to touch his reddened nose. "Hideki's face is funny..."

"Arrgh...!!"

-

From the camouflage of the flexing trees, Fye watched this all with a fond look in his eyes. His pale face, contrasting beautifully with the phantom shadows of the leaves, and doused with liquid moonshine, seemed to dispel the look of ageing and lines of worry. The scars of hardship and toil disappeared as, underneath the cascading branches that concealed his willowy body, Fye appeared to become young again. 

The effect of a smile is good on Fye, Mokona commented as it looked up at its carrier. Fye looks five years younger; Mokona is certain of it. Fye should smile at his true love...it would charm that person, without a doubt. 

"Mokona...watching them is like regaining lost hope. They appear to be so happy together...it's amazing. What I'd give to have a relationship like theirs...!"

The little creature nodded in response.

"There's just one thing that I don't understand...why does the ivory-haired girl refer to herself in third person? She's clearly around 17 years of age, but she still doesn't seem to have a grasp of the common knowledge of that age." Fye contemplated this with a concerned look; the previous smile had melted from his lovely face, as uncertainty plagued it once again. "Come to think of it, when I was seventeen, I knew exactly why the moon changed shape. In fact, I was in the astrology club at school. I liked the scientific aspect of the cosmos, but I was more interested in the mythological aspect of it..."

He shook his head in dismissal. "But I'm digressing. Why is the young girl like that?"

Fye will find out exactly why Chii is the way she is. Of course, Fye would have to talk to her and Hideki alike, the way you talked to Syaoran and Sakura. Mokona would recommend Hideki, though...Chii is sometimes incoherent. 

"Do they know you?"

Yes. Hideki is scared of Mokona, somewhat, Mokona explained, without visible remorse for it. Chii likes Mokona very much, though. Mokona stayed with Chii for a month or so, trying to help her find true love. It's okay. They'd both recognize Mokona...it's not hard to remember me! Just go ahead. 

"Well...I guess it couldn't hurt," Fye smiled hesitantly, as he took a step out of the foliage and into the circle of grass and shrubbery where the lovers were conversing. "You've given me no reason to doubt you so far, Mokona." 

Carefully, Fye untangled his limbs from the clawing dry branches of the trees, being careful that none of his clothes would be draped over branches and torn...most of them already have holes, anyhow. 

That's the spirit! Mokona laughed, pumping a small pink fist into the air. Trust Mokona! 

The first one to spot him was Chii, as she turned away from Hideki, who was still putting his tools away. The girl's bright eyes widened significantly, as she stood up, hands cupping over her mouth in shock. A sharp gasp emitted from her throat. 

Then, suddenly, without any warning, she reached out her chubby arms and flung herself at Fye and Mokona, knocking them down to the ground in a forceful hug.

"Mokona! Mokona! Chii's so happy to see you! Mokona - ?"

The aforementioned creature forced itself out from the mess of long ivory locks and entangled limbs, and walked away, humming as nonchalantly as ever. 

It was then that Hideki chose to look up, as well.

"AAAAGH!" Yelling in terror, the young man tore away from the circle of trees and dashed for cover, sending his telescope stand crashing down into a pile of scrap metal in his wake. "Not that thing again - !" 

-

"Sorry about that..." Hideki mumbled an apology, scratching his neck as he returned to the grassy area where Fye awaited him. Plopping down on the ground, he took out his tool box once again, and continued to toy with the telescope stand that'd taken so much energy to erect, only now it was in worse shape than it was when he'd started his daunting task. Fye himself was clutching onto the package of muffins that Sakura had baked, which were almost knocked out of his arms when Chii tacked him (the little girl was surprisingly heavy...). On the outermost edge of the circle of trees, Chii was engaged in intelligent conversation with the Pink Blob of Doom.

Fye shook his head, forgiving the incident. "It was quite all right."

"It's just that...I thought Mokona was finally done with Chii and me. I figured that, when it left us a month ago, that was it. But apparently, it likes reunions." Hideki made a face. "Chii loves that thing to death, but I was traumatized by it. It was like, like...some sort of _magical_ Mokona doll," he finished lamely. "I went around the city muttering 'stuffed animals don't talk' for a week after I saw it...it only ever talked once to me, though. Well, twice, now." 

He sighed heavily. "Oh, well. I suppose it's helping you look for true love, like it did for Chii. You can't blame good intentions."

"Yes. It wants me to talk to many lovers before it introduces me to my true love, because it says that I don't believe in love. I suppose if I was exposed to that person right away, I would've had a harder time accepting it."

"So basically, Mokona is advertising itself by making you get testimonials from its successful couples? Damn. The world gets weirder and weirder every day." 

Turning away from his telescope stand - frankly, it confused him - he took a few seconds to examine Fye's disheveled and unpleasanat appearance from head to toe worriedly. He shook his head. "Look...this is probably way out of line for me to ask, but do you have a place to stay for the night? You know, a home, or something? Because, it's really, really cold, and I don't think you'd wear damaged clothes like those on purpose." Hideki winced. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't help it. I had to ask -" 

"No, it's okay for you to ask." Fye sighed, a gentle look in his eyes. "Just don't worry about it. You're right...I don't have a place to stay. Still, I'll find one. The night is cold, but I'll get by."

Hideki blinked, then shook his head again, though more vehemently this time. There seemed to be an angry light in his eyes, as he reached for his backpack that was lying on the grass next to Chii's, and dug through its contents. After much searching, he produced a large green sweater, most likely his own, and thrust it into Fye's arms. "Take this. I'm not sure how it'll fit on you, but it's warm enough for me. It's going to get a lot colder tonight, so you'll probably need some sort of hat, or scarf...I'm sure I have an old scarf around here _somewhere_..."

Stunned by his kindness, it took awhile for Fye to say anything. "But...I can't take these...! They're yours. It'd be impolite..."

"...Impolite to refuse them! Not to mention you'll catch a cold, so it's unwise not to take them," Hideki stated firmly, as he produced a long yellow scarf from his backpack, and wound it around Fye's neck. "It's not right for you to suffer like this. I may not have suffered as much as you, but I do understand how you feel. When I came to Tokyo from the countryside, I could hardly pay for cram school and apartment rent, not to mention food and electricity! My parents had underestimated the cost of living in Tokyo, so I wandered the streets for two nights myself before I met my new friend Shimbo, who took me into his house for a week while I tried to get a part-time job and a place to stay. I was unlucky, but all the same, there are people who don't have friends like Shimbo with good advice on how to settle down, and are unluckier than I am." He glared. "So, please, accept these; I won't take no for an answer!"

Sincerely touched by Hideki's generosity, Fye took the warm attire with trembling hands. He felt tears of gratitude well up to his eyes. In Tokyo, teenagers were often cruel, and he'd been attacked by them more than once. Sometimes, they'd pelt rocks at the homeless, or even try to steal what little money they have from them. But truly, Hideki was different.

"T-Thank you," Fye murmured, at an utter lack of words. "You're a very kind p-person, Hideki."

"Eheh...well, wouldn't you know it?" Hideki laughed sheepishly. "That's what all the girls say, too! There, there now, don't cry on me. I've blabbed on enough, anyhow. After all, you came to hear about me and Chii, didn't you?"

-

"Chii is the most adorable girl I'd ever met," were the first words that came to Hideki's mind, as he thought about what to say. Meanwhile, Fye strugged with Hideki's sweater. "Everything about her was cute, from her speech to her mannerisms...when I first met her, she was still copying the motions of everyone she met, trying to get a hang of it all. She's a considerate girl, who thinks more about me than she does about herself...and it does occasionally get her into trouble. She's always learning eagerly, though, and tries her best to do what's right, so these incidents are becoming less and less."

Having finally managed to put on the sweater, Fye was now occupied with getting rid of the static in his hair. "Chii does seem to  be extraordinarily gentle. She's a very special girl to you, I take it."

"Definitely. I wouldn't trade Chii for the world," Hideki agreed. "But not everyone thinks the same way I do. Society has a way of viewing my relationship with Chii that's...less than pleasant."

"What do you mean...?" Fye queried.

"Chii doesn't speak like a normal 17-year-old girl, as you might've noticed," Hideki pointed in Chii's direction, and sure enough, she was referring to herself in third-person even as she spoke with Mokona. "She still has trouble understanding the concept of grammar, and her vocabulary's not full yet. Everyday is an adventure for her, because there's always something new for her to learn. I enjoy that aspect of staying with Chii, but not everyone else does.

"Chii's brain is permanently damaged. She was like that when I first met her.

"From what I've heard, Chii used to be a popular girl. Although her grades were lacking in school, and although she came from a poor family, she had lots of friends, and almost everyone liked her very much. However, one day, someone played a mean prank on her, and rigged the brake on her bicycle. She rode to school and back on that bicycle every day near heavy traffic, and even on the weekend, she rode on the same bike to the grocery shop and back...so it was bound to cause an accident."

Hideki gritted his teeth, and shut his eyes. "What I can't understand is why anyone would want to hurt an innocent girl like Chii so badly...! Whoever it was must've wanted an accident to occur right when Chii was cycling near cars, but why would they do that? Why would they want Chii's bike to lose control? 

"That culprit was never caught. But Chii suffered terribly from the incident. It was on Saturday morning, and close to an intersection, when parts of Chii's bike actually fell apart, and it made her steer off the sidewalk and into an oncoming truck. With bags of groceries in her arms, she couldn't even leap off."

Gasping, Fye stared from Hideki's enraged expression to Chii's delighted one. "What happened? How...how did she survive...?"

"She barely missed the truck head-on. But she was knocked unconscious, and bled severely until the driver could get her to a hospital nearby. Thankfully, she wasn't injured much in the ways of arms and legs. Although one bone in her arm was knocked apart painfully, it was readjusted through surgery later. The main damage was done in her skull, but I'll explain that. 

"When Chii was first transported to the hospital, I volunteered to donate blood to her. On that day, I was actually there to meet  my friend Yumi, who'd gotten a fever. But seeing Chii wheeled away to an emergency room on a stretcher...I felt like I really needed to help her. Was it love at first sight? I'm not sure...seeing anyone bleeding so profusely and in such genuine need would've struck me that strongly, would've horrified me. It wasn't subject to Chii alone. But had I known then what I do now about Chii, I would've probably given her every drop of blood in my body just to hear her voice again.

"When she eventually did regain consciousness, I was a bit dazed from loss of blood myself, so what the doctor said next nearly made me faint. It turned out that Chii's brain damage was so significant that she would suffer permanent memory loss. For a week...maybe a few weeks, she would not be able to form coherent sentences, they said. Then, after that, she would have to be taught everything from scratch. The possibility of her remembering anything was miniscule. It was such a desperate situation that I couldn't help but volunteer myself to stay with Chii until she recovered from the trauma of the accident and was ready to learn again. 

"And so I did that...every day, after I got off school and work, I'd travel to the hospital to see Chii. Sympathy promted me to do this at first, but then when Chii was able to learn words again, I realized that it wasn't just sympathy. I think I became genuinely fond of her, because I kept coming. Even though I was tired from work and school, I kept visiting the hospital because I cared about Chii. The way she'd grasp my hand and smile at me as she learned her words over again...it brougth tears to my eyes. I really wanted her to recover.

"During that time, many of Chii's friends came and went. In the beginning, there were many cards and flowers scattered all over her hospital room, from nearly all of her schoolmates. They usually came around the same time I did, to check on her and wish her well. They were well-meaning kids.

"But after a week or two, they realized that their presence in her room wouldn't help her any. She simply couldn't remember them at all; nothing set off a spark of recognition in her mind. And so they began to lose hope. The flowers became less and less. Fewer people came to see her. By the time that Chii was leaving the hospital to return home, the room that she was leaving was empty, except for a few white roses - her favorite flowers.

"Mine.

"I couldn't understand why people would neglect her this way, just because she was no longer able to engage in intelligent conversation. It didn't make her any less the person she was. Every time I look into Chii's eyes, it reminds me of her when I first met her...her nature hadn't changed. The way she smiles, the way she leans on me...these things were still the same. And I wanted to see her because of these things. I became a regular guest at her house, a recognizable face. I visited her at her special school for children with learning deficiencies. 

"When I first went to her house, actually, was the time when I saw Mokona. It was a 'stuffed animal' that the family had found on their doorstep, and it was given to Chii. On that first visit, it actually talked to me...and it scared me half to death. But I never forgot what it said. It said to me, Now, Mokona's job is almost done. Chii has found her true love, after all! "

"Did I love her? Some people thought that these visits had become excessive, and that if I spent so much time with Chii, I would become eccentric and unloved. Some of these people were even Chii's former friends. I didn't care.  

"Perhaps that was when I first acknowledged the fact that I really did love her," Hideki smiled wistfully. "And so, when Chii used to ask me things like, 'Who were the people who sent Chii flowers in the beginning, Hideki? Why don't I see them now? Do they not like Chii anymore?', my answer would always be, 'They were friends of yours, Chii. They don't send flowers anymore, but I'll always have flowers for you.' And I always did, because the smile that I received from her was so bright whenever I gave her my daily present. 

"I think Mokona saw that I got the message, because about a month after it showed up at Chii's doorstep, it disappeared. When I asked Chii about it, she smiled and told me, 'Mokona left because it had helped Chii find someone just for me.' I was shocked (Did Chii learn her bad grammar from that thing?). That was the last I ever saw of it."

"But I decided to carry out Mokona's will, and stayed with Chii up until today. Even now, I give Chii flowers...white roses, mainly. They say that if you give a girl a white rose, it means you also give them pure and unconditional love. At least, that's what I've read. And so, I guess that's what I give her. Unconditional love. Regardless of whether Chii would ever remember anything about her past, and regardless of whether people would ever accept her defect, it was not her fault. And I'd be patient in my love for her no matter what. The strength of a relationship is defined by how much you accept your partner, I think...and for me, there's nothing to accept about Chii. She just is. That is why I love her."

-

Wiping his moist eyes, Fye travelled out of the circle of trees, feeling warmer not because of his changed attire, but because of the atmosphere around the lovers he'd just encountered. True love was patient...he knew that now. Mokona was right all along. "Mokona?" 

No response.

"That's strange. That's the second time now," Fye murmured, puzzled. He gently rapped the small creature's tummy. "Mokona? Are you asleep?"

Of course not! Of course not! Mokona doesn't sleep! Mokona woke up with a jolt. Mokona is fine! No need to worry! Mokona is just running low on power, that's all. 

Fye raised an eyebrow. "Low on...power...?"

Let's keep walking! Mokona continued, seemingly concealing some sort of secret with a falsely cheery mood. Tsubasa Park is large, and there is still one more couple for Fye to see! 

"I wouldn't mind seeing more of these people," Fye smiled sadly, "even if it makes me cry to hear their stories."

Mokona grinned. Fye was pretty convinced by the last two stories, so there is only one left. This makes Mokona's job easier. Now, the only one Fye has to meet is Kazahaya, and then Fye will be truly prepared to meet his own true love!      


	5. Daily use of the drug causes poisoning

**The Magical Mokona Doll**

By CLAMPraven

**Disclaimer & Warnings: **

Same things apply in all chapters.

**Author's Notes:**

So, yes, this short story is already winding down to its last days. I would imagine that, if I'm a good little worker, it'll be finished by the end of this week (waaaaah...). - I can't believe it's almost done! But alas, what did I expect, anyhow? I thought of the entire plot in a few hours. And then I even shortened it further than the original version. I was going to have Fye visit one other couple - a certain two from the quaint series "Wish" - but then I decided that...you know what? You all came here to read about Fye! I've got to focus on my target audience instead of driving everyone away! That means that, for me, I'd have to sacrifice all unnecessary elements of the story, and get Fye to his true love ASAP. 

Yes, I agree...it is a rather blunt way to do a story. But time is (worth more than) money, and frankly, I don't have a lot of it left. ^-^ Thus, as long as the theme of the story makes sense and is mostly credible, I have done my job regardless of how short the work is. That's the purpose of a story, after all: to express an idea or to prove a point. At the same time, the purpose of this story is not wholly surrounding Fye's true love's identity (What? No one's guessed who this is yet? Oh, dear...), so revealing it a chapter ahead doesn't bother me. What comes after may be even more significant. What's the theme of this story?

_Belief is more important than love. _It was said in the very first chapter. Think about it. (Damn it, I'm cryptic. ^___^)  

Now, of course, this chapter does contain shounen-ai. From here on, in fact, all of them do, but ultimately, there are only going to be a few shounen-ai implications. I know, I know...I said there'd be lots. I LIED! Uh huh, that's right. Humans have been known to do that on a regular basis. ^-^;; (No, seriously, I'm sorry about that...) This particular chapter has Kazahaya in it, so you can easily guess the pairing. (Gouhou Drug, while not possessing any apparent substance or motive, is still an awesome series; personally, I love Saiga - I just had to say that - but, eh, you know, Kazahaya's cool, too. ^-^;;) 

So watch yourself, and as always, enjoy the ride. 

-

CHAPTER 5

Daily use of the drug causes poisoning

-

Continuing to trek across the park, following the route at a brisk pace, Fye's mind began to wander. Underneath the ever-shifting shadows and chilly wind, he shivered; despite the fact that he had donned new attire, he still felt the bite of the air, realizing suddenly and with absolute certainty that he was feeling weaker. 

"Achoo!" 

Cupping a hand to his mouth, Fye shut his eyes, and tried to repress the feeling of numbness in his hands. Certainly, his chest and neck were warm, but there were still other problems. He still didn't have any gloves to shield them from the wind, and the fact that he was still wearing torn jeans and no socks was becoming more and more obvious the more he walked along. 

"A-Achoo!" He sniffed. "Fresh food, warm clothes, and still I manage to get a cold! It's been a wonderful evening so far - Achoo! - but if I continue coughing, there'll probably be trouble. I remember the last time I got a fever. It was during the summertime, when Tokyo was hottest...I think that was because of food poisoning, though. Achoo!"

Mokona shook its head. No, no! Fye absolutely cannot get sick! Fye's true love is still ahead! It would make a bad impression! Clutching its head, it whimpered nervously. Mokona must do the job properly, or else Mokona's boss will be angry...! 

"Your boss...?" Fye mumbled thickly, with a hand over his mouth. "I didn't know you had a boss, Mokona!"

Yes, Mokona has a boss, the one who is responsible for Mokona! If Mokona's boss gets angry, something awful will happen! Mokona cannot let boss down! 

Leaping out of his already full arms, Mokona scrambled across the grassy ground, careful to duck behind the occasional bush. Dashing in an almost panicky manner, it headed towards the swing set nearby with a fierce determination.

Shocked and confused, Fye chased after the creature. "Mokona! Stop, wait! Where are you going?" 

It turned out that a boy was riding on the creaky swing, muttering angrily to himself. He had an extraordinarily feline look to his eyes, making him appear clever and dodgy. Although he could've easily been considered pretty, given his unkempt blonde hair and his feminine features, the manner in which he sat, the angle of his slouch and his crudely-shaped fingers, defined him as being distinctively boyish in reality. 

Then, to Fye's amazement, Mokona - without hesitation - jumped into his lap from out of a thorny hedge and proceeded to jabber at him rapidly. Was this youth the "Kazahaya" whom it'd mentioned earlier?

At first, Kazahaya seemed terrified to see Mokona. He kept swearing at the little creature and panicking; all the while, it was clinging desperately onto his coat sleeve, trying hard to get the boy to stay. Eventually, after what appeared to be much explaining, the pink shape pointed to Fye himself, and went into a begging pose. The boy stared at him, then at it, then at him again, and eventually, though still grudgingly, he waved the older man over. 

"What - Achoo! - was that about?" Fye asked, rubbing his sore nose as he stumbled across the grassy field towards the swings. "Is this Kazahaya-kun?"

That's right, Fye, Mokona answered breathlessly, sighing in relief. And it wasn't easy for Mokona to make Kazahaya stay..._he has a nasty temper!_

"I don't have a temper, damn it!" Kazahaya yelled grumpily, folding his arms across his chest. "I simply like to swing alone." He glanced sideways at Fye. "In any case, I hear you have a cold."

The older man nodded. With a distempered frown still fixed on what would've otherwise been a very cute face, the teenager dug into his pockets, producing a small bottle of pills. "I always carry these things around, because I get colds easily; plus, they're made by the Green Drug corporation, and since I'm employed there, I have to advertize the product. I get no money for it, but my employer gets angry when I don't, so..." 

Digging into his coat pocket, he pulled out a bottle of mineral water, also with Green Drug's label emprinted on it. "Take it. Wash down the pill with it - take _only one_," he warned. "I know the man who comes up with the ideas for the product, and trust me, when Kakei-san says something should only be taken once, you'd better follow the advice, if you value your life."

Fye blinked, as he accepted the bottle. "Um...thanks, I guess..."

"Did that come across as being too mean?" Kazahaya asked, his tone less harsh this time. His frown faded away somewhat, as his gaze became wholly self-conscious...almost childlike. "Some people think I'm ill-tempered. Seriously...I'm not. Or at least, I don't mean to be. It comes with having to follow around an egocentric bastard all day long," he hissed. "Damn it, but love can be like a drug sometimes. If you take too much of it in, it'd kill you. Frankly, I'm surprised that I've been able to live with being in love with Rikuou all this time."

Softening his gaze, Fye sat down on the swing opposite Kazahaya's, and looked at him questioningly. "Did Mokona pair you up with someone you didn't like?" He queried uncertainly.

"No...of course not. Mokona's not capable of making wrong couplings, so far as it's concerned. And frankly, I believe it. I'm in love with Rikuou...so deep in love that I can't explain it. Some people say it's lust, and maybe it is, but I don't think so. In any case, that bastard's become an obsession of mine. Mokona didn't make the wrong choice. The choice it made for me was too good...so good that, came the time when I actually met Rikuou, I was in so deep that I had no idea what the hell to do with myself."

He chuckled dryly, petting Mokona's soft head. 

"Then again, maybe that's how you know you're in love. When you act clueless like that. I both envy and pity you. When Mokona finds a true love for you, you're going to feel like the happiest fool alive..."

-

"Rikuou is a placid asshole. He only ever opens his trap to insult me, as far as I know. I can't deny that he's got an attractive look to him, even if he is as big as a friggin bear; off the top of my head, I can tick off at least 20 girls who are hopelessly devoted to fulfilling his every whim. He's completely inconsiderate, and has been known to wake people up by throwing dirty sneakers in their faces. He cooks well, and is a complete sucker for any job that pays...but then again, so am I. Some people may say that we're complete opposites...and maybe that's what makes him so desirable. Damn the inevitable attraction between  complete opposites! All the same, even if he thinks poorly of me, his silence had struck me as sexy on more than one occasion.

Swallowing the bitter pill with a drought of water and closing the bottle, Fye continued listening. He was intrigued by the way the youth talked...this 'obsession'...was it also a legitimate type of love? Then again, was there any such thing as a legitimate type of love?

"How did you two meet...if you were so different?"

"In Mokona's sick mind, anything can happen, and so it paired us up," Kazahaya shrugged helplessly. "Despite the fact that Mokona looks like a useless toy, it's actually toying with us. That's what I believe.

"As I said already, I work at Green Drug. It's a pretty big company, so you should know it. The location I frequent is right over there - " He pointed in the direction of the park gate, " - opposite Tsubasa. It's an odd sort of place. Lots of girls go there just to gawk at me for no reason, which is really distracting, to say the least. Up until about two months ago, I worked there with no apparent problems...except my lecherous co-worker, Saiga, who was a big problem everyday, but I lived with that. The man has a thing for blondes - blondes and sleeping, that is; he once fell asleep while he was trying to grope me, and it took a hell of a long time to pry him off.

"I'm digressing. But in any case, there was one thing that most people didn't know about me, and it might freak you out, but..." Kazahaya glared at Fye dangerously, "...Promise you won't tell anyone?"

"O-Of course."

"I have...this gift. It's sort of like ESP, and sort of like clairvoyance...I'm not sure if there's a dictionary definition for the power that I have, but..."

"You're psychic?" Fye whispered, awestruck. 

Kazahaya nodded, albeit awkwardly, and leaned back on the swing. "I guess you could say that. When I...touch another person or their belongings with my hands, I can sometimes see flashes of their memories, or what they're thinking about. It's really an embarrasing power to have, since it's not really useful to me and it gets me into trouble sometimes. Plus, it drains my energy, so I usually wear gloves these days." He held up a slim, gloved hand. 

"Two months ago, I wasn't wearing gloves, and because of that, I got into a messy scrape. One day, Saiga tossed his black overcoat at me, and when I caught it, I received a memory of him and Kakei - his lover - together. It sort of sent me reeling, and I was unconscious for a while...I hadn't used my powers for a long time. When I woke up, I had to explain what happened to Saiga, so I told him the truth...that I was clairvoyant. He was surprised somewhat, but told me not to worry - apparently, he had a little brother who also had supernatural powers. In order to hone them, he told me, his brother visited the X/1999 research centre downtown...he gave me the address, and recommended that I went as well.

"So I did. Granted, the prospect of seeing one of Saiga's blood-relatives was not a pleasant one, but I went anyway. It turned out that the institution was packed, actually...apparently, there was a lot of supernatural power going around in Tokyo. Granted, most of the people there went to X/1999 because they'd seen an apparition and was scared for their life, not because they had powers they wanted to control, but there were a good number of people who did have powers like mine. 

"On the first day I went there, I didn't see Rikuou; from some of the counsellors there, I heard that his visits were few and in between, but I didn't care too much about that then. I was preoccupied with my own sessions, learning how to control my powers more and more, getting advice on how to avoid public incidents. That's how I learned to wear gloves and everything; lots of the patients there did. I didn't really talk to anyone else, even though they were all curious about me, since I was new and clairvoyance wasn't that common a power. Whenever they tried to make conversation, I couldn't really figure out what to say to them...so eventually word spread that I was stubborn and unfriendly. Typical. 

"One day, a little girl came up to me and handed me Mokona. She was really frail-looking, but very energetic, and she had a pink braid dangling behind her. Her name was Shidou Hikaru, I remember, and on her nametag, it said that she was a fire-conjurer. She was a friendly kid, and told me that I should smile more often, because a frown didn't fit me. 'Mokona,' she told me, 'is a good luck doll. Having it around makes me happier every day!' Naturally, I believed her.

"But of course, once Mokona started to talk to me, happiness was one of the last emotions I thought of expressing. Quite frankly, it freaked me out. It turned out that, as Hikaru later told me, Mokona helped her find a man she liked - some guy named Lantis - and it would also help me find true love. According to her, it told her to hand it to me, so that it could guide me towards my true love. 

"There was a catch, though."

"A catch?"

"Mokona told me that love, for me, was going to be particularly hard, because the person that it chose for me was - not only a man - but had no need for a lover," Kazahaya explained. "I agreed anyhow, since Mokona told me that, if I tried hard enough, true love was guaranteed, even with this person. And besides, if I had a guy following me around, maybe Saiga wouldn't be so touchy-feely all the damn time." He narrowed his eyes. "Damn it, if I only knew...

"That day, Mokona led me to the lecture classes for those who were endowed with telekinesis. It didn't tell me the one I needed to find was Rikuou...it just led me there and hopped away. The moment I turned around, it was gone, and I couldn't find it anywhere, the infuriating little bastard!" 

He glared down at Mokona, who immediately whimpered and leaped behind Fye's back. 

"In any case. I was walking past the lecture rooms in search of Mokona when all the students filed out; in the midst of the crowd, I spotted Rikuou for the first time. 

"Notwithstanding the fact that he was larger than 70% of the people who were there, he was something to see. It was his eyes that first caught my attention. They had a demonic look to them, as they glanced past everyone else and glared straight into my own. His stare was so startling and intriguing at the same time that it hypnotized me. It was a hungry look, the way a feral hawk may stare at a plump mouse - unblinking and decisive. 

"And while the world shifted on its axis and all the patients in X/1999 thrusted and pushed past us like a roaring sea, we stood still...staring into each other's eyes, locked together by a power that could only be described as destiny. 

"My counsellors at the institution taught me a lot about destiny. It was a rather vague idea. My main cousellor, Sumeragi Subaru-sensei, was a rather pessimistic man with powers similar to my own; he always taught that what is destined is what is to be. No one can change your destiny. 'I've met Rikuou before; he's a rather stoic young man,' he commented, when I told him about our chance meeting (it's required that you tell everything to your counsellor, all your motivations, so that he/she may judge the level of your power based on your desires). 'He doesn't think that he needs to be loved. However, it has come to my attention that everyone is or will be loved in their lifetimes. Destiny ordains this, in order to give us purposes.'

" 'So...are Rikuou and I destined to be together? Is he...my purpose?' I remember asking him. 

" 'Perhaps,' he whispered, as he lit his cigar, the smoke wafting around his sombre face. 'But keep in mind, Kudou-san (that's my last name), that destiny can be a cruel thing. If it does indeed chain you to Rikuou, it can be troublesome. Love can be obsessive, and fruitless. Even if you come to love Rikuou with all your heart, there is always the chance that he may never reciprocate your feelings. You must accept that. With someone like him, that may very well be the case.

"And so it was."

"Really...?" Fye gazed at him in genuine concern. 

Kazahaya sighed heavily. "Yep. Every day, I saw Rikuou more and more often. I would wait outside his lecture room, try to spot him in the halls. A boy named Kamui, who was taking the same sessions as he was, gave me the address of the coffee shop that he visited often after school. And so I'd go there, try and track him down...in secret, of course. Soon, he gave notice to me, but it was a rather teasing relationship. Whenever we encountered each other face to face, he'd give me some sort of cocky smirk, a deep gaze into my eyes, something to drown me deeper and leave me in anticipation...then he'd walk away, leaving me cold again. He seemed to take delight in this...my own feelings were mixed. 

"Was he toying with me? Even though my rational mind said that nothing would come of this, my heart still desired him madly. He was like a drug. I couldn't live without the little signals that he throws at me. I had to believe that there was hope."

Fye bit his lip. "Is it...still like this now?"

"Sort of...I'm not sure if we're closer, or further apart." Kazahaya pondered this. "Well, the truth is, there was this one time...

"It was raining hard that day. I was still in the coffee shop that Rikuou frequented, waiting for him; since I didn't have an umbrella, and the rain started after I went in, I was trapped in there for awhile. After sitting there, wondering how I'd ever get home through the downpour, a person sat down next to me. I blinked; it was Rikuou. I didn't even hear him come in, or even anticipate him. For some reason, he decided to sit down next to me. And then he spoke...for the first time, he spoke to me, although it seemed more like he was speaking to the rain.

" 'Tsukiko left me on a raining day,' he murmured, staring out the window. 'I wonder if she's found someone new now? Or is she still wandering, lost in the rain? I wonder if you, too, long for someone as strongly as I long for her...?'

"There was a bizarre tone to his voice, a gentleness and sadness that I never thought I'd hear from him. I nodded, in answer to his question, unable to speak. I longed for him...he knew that. Then, as quickly as he'd entered, he left, taking my hand in his, and through the rain we walked...underneath his black umbrella."

The boy gazed at Fye thoughtfully. "So, ultimately, I guess it's up to you to decide what our relationship is. Are we in love? Are we together? What is love, really, but a desire for happiness? If he doesn't acknowledge me ever again, I will still be content, just to chase him forever. Believe it or not...that is our love. There's no fidelity to it. But there is happiness...and that is as true as anything in the world."

-

As he carried Mokona away from the swings, waving farewell to Kazahaya and thanking him for the medicine, Fye thought about what was said to him. 

"Would I be discouraged, if my true love was like that Rikuou-san...never reciprocating my feelings?" 

He sighed, and shook his head. 

"No...I guess I'd be too content just loving that person to care. There's always a chance that, when you're in love, it may not end up being fair play. But if you don't know it, then it doesn' t matter, really...as long as that special someone is still breathing, it is happiness. Even if nothing comes out of it, it is happiness." Fye lowered his gaze to Mokona, and smiled gently. 

"Absolute happiness doesn't come around that often, even if it is blind happiness. No matter what, I will meet this person, Mokona. Thank you." He patted its head...

...Only to realize that there was no longer a gleam in the jewel on the little creature's forehead, nor was it responding. He blinked, confused, and shook Mokona a bit, lifting it in the air to examine it. 

There was no response at all.

Fearfully, Fye held Mokona to his chest, and peered into its slitted eyes. They were uncomprehending. "Mokona...? Are you all right? Please, speak up..."

Suddenly, from out of the bushes, there erupted a shrill screech. Swivelling around, Fye stared at the source of the voice, to see that 4 people, dressed completely in black, had popped out of the shadows. 

"Oh, no!" cried the one who'd screamed earlier. "I knew we should've replaced the batteries!" 


	6. Do you believe in fate?

**The Magical Mokona Doll**

By CLAMPraven

**Disclaimer & Warnings: **

Same things apply in all chapters.

**Author's Notes:**

One of the last chappies! The previous chapter's ending was somewhat ridiculous in terms of suspense value, but here, many things will be cleared up about the origins of Mokona and its purposes, as well as the behind-the-bush spies. What fun! ^-^;; In any case, I missed my deadline considerably, and at the rate I'm going, I'd give me another 2 days to complete this thing. Oh, well. Quantity not quality would be a good thing to remember, here.

...(checks review pages) What the ****?? There's only 4 reviews? Why, I oughta...!!

(^-^;; It is important to note that some people never follow their own advice, and it is vital that you should pity these people. Yes, even if they are bitchy.) 

-

CHAPTER 6

Do you believe in fate...?

"B-Batteries?"

Utterly bewidered, Fye stared at the four figures dressed in black, who had sprung out of the once innocent-looking bushes. The one who had screamed and upset their utter stealth was a young man, wearing rectangular-shaped spectacles and looking mortified. There was also, along with him, a tall, visibly well-endowed woman, with a rather predatorial gleam in her golden eyes; two very young girls clung to her defensively, their faces pretty and their eyes blank as they stared directly at Fye. With alarm, he approached them.

"What did you mean by 'batteries'?" He questioned urgently the young man who'd spoken. "And what's wrong with Mokona?"

"You blew our cover again, Watanuki," the tall woman interjected, glaring balefully at her companion. She had a rather tired voice, as though she'd expected it to happen. "Now we'll have to tell him the truth, as well."

"The truth! The truth!" The two young girls chanted in unison happily.

"Argh! Maru! Moro! Would the two of you keep quiet for one second?"

"What truth?" Fye pressed on, unable to comprehend. "Do you all know something about Mokona that I don't?"

"Perceptive, isn't he?" The woman cackled, a low, ominous sound.

"Perceptive, perceptive," The two girls continued in their shrill voices, giggling all the while.

Watanuki cringed. "I'm sorry, Yuuko!" He turned to Fye, with an apologetic look in his eyes. "I'm sorry to you, as well. You should've never had to know. But thanks to me, we'll have to tell you the truth about Mokona...what it really is, and how it came into being." 

He sighed deeply. "I only hope you'll understand...come on, let's go into the trees. No one'll notice this little blunder..."

-

In the midst of thick, interlocking trees, wherein even the garden flowers were dying for all the lack of light and human interference, Watanuki finally began talking.

"Good...it should be safe here. Now, you probably want to know what's going on. But...how to start? 

"Mokona was a toy...a really, really advanced toy, with enhancements that made it very much an artificial intelligence. It was created by child genius Kokubunji Minoru, who co-operated with toy designer Icchan - that's his codename, anyhow - to create a compact mobilized A.I., capable of thinking on its own and analyzing the world around it to a certain degree. The result was mechanical ingenuity in the shape of a large, adorable pink blob. Mokona is a part of the new line of Chobit dolls, also designed by Kokubunji; the technology in it is akin to the foolproof type that is used in NASA.

"All the same, it still needs batteries," Watanuki muttered angrily. Lifting the 'jewel' on Mokona's forehead carefully with his thumb, he revealed it to be a small light, underneath which appeared to be a compartment for button batteries. Removing two such batteries, and replacing them, he shut the tiny lid; instantly, the jewel lit up, and Mokona sprung to life again.

Mokona is back on-line! Thank you, Watanuki! It pecked the boy on the cheek, only to be swatted away. 

"Argh! Mokona, stop it!" He swatted the pesky advances away, then wagged a finger at it. "Nothing out of you for the next ten minutes, okay?"

Mokona nodded obediently. Mokona recognizes Watanuki as an individial capable of commanding Mokona, a person who knows Mokona's origins and secrets. Mokona will stand by. It closed its eyes blissfully.

Watanuki chuckled sheepishly, with a glance towards Fye. "So, as you can see, Mokona's not a living creature, or a magical doll. It's just a machine. The jewel on its forehead is actually a light, which diminishes as the batteries grow old, and goes off automatically when Mokona runs out of power. It's like a status indicator. I'm sure you noticed that it lost its sheen when Mokona finally stopped moving. 

"I...see." 

Fye nodded apprehensively. He could hardly believe it, that Mokona was not real...that such a bouncy creature, with all those childish mannerisms, could be constructed through science alone. Mokona had been friendly to him...was that not real, either? "So...what does this mean, exactly?"

"Well, for now, all it means is that Mokona's not alive, but I'm getting to the part that concerns you eventually," Watanuki explained. "You see, Mokona's a compact doll, designed to help people find true love. It can tackle even the hardest relationships, as I'm sure you're aware. Actually, the Mokona that you see is only a part of the Mokona system - we have the other one, Black Mokona. Yuuko?"

Beside him, the woman named Yuuko held up another Mokona, its structure identical to Mokona in all respects. The black shape peered and smiled at Fye, a sight that stunned him. Black Mokona is pleased to meet Fye. 

Meanwhile, the woman picked up the speech from where Watanuki left off. "Black Mokona is almost completely the same as Mokona; the two can communicate to each other, using the com-link that's installed in each of their bellies. Whatever Mokona does influences Black Mokona. Thus, whatever happens to white Mokona, Black Mokona can report to us here, so that if the original is in trouble, this duplicate will warn us, and we'll attempt to fix it."

"Fix it, fix it!"

"...Yeeeaaah." Watanuki rubbed his forehead in exasperation. "Yuuko, could you PLEASE stop them?"

Yuuko chuckled hideously. "No such luck, Watanuki. So you see, Fye, the Mokona that you stayed with was only a part of the Mokona system. When we begin to sell the Mokona model, only the white ones will be on sale; we will keep the black ones at the toy company's warehouse, so that if any accidents should happen to the white ones, the black ones will alert us immediately, and we will track down where to pay the refunds to."

"Refunds! Refunds!" The two had begun circling Watanuki in a little jig. 

"YUUKO - !"

"R-Refunds? Warehouse? You mean, you have plans to mass-distribute Mokona as a children's toy?" Fye stared at her in shock. "Then, what was the purpose of having this little one walk around?"

She gazed at him with a deadpan expression, shook her head in disappointment, then took out a cigarette from her coat pocket. "Well, I guess I couldn't expect you to be smart enough to put two and two together, could I? This, the original Mokona system, was a prototype. We installed in it all the data that was supposed to be in the final Mokona systems...all the names of people in Tokyo - which would, like the eventual toys, be renewed in new software every year or so - all the addresses, and so on, and so forth (it's made to be a Tokyo toy; there will be others for other cities, of course). Through all this data, the Mokona prototype can run a few tests, set up a few couples. Meanwhile, we - the associates of the Angel Egg Toy Company - follow it, to see how well it works and to take note of any flaws that it may have."

The two girls nodded, holding up their individual notebooks full of Mokona's data. Maru's was labelled "Pros" and Moro's was labelled "Cons". "Flaws, flaws!"

"We," continued Yuuko, "were hired by the company to do this, and to report back with all our data after Mokona had attempted to set up 10 vastly different couples. You're the ninth...with luck, we would be able to finish up this project by the end of this month, if not earlier. Then, Mokona's flaws will be examined, and a final design will eliminate said flaws. Do you understand?"

Fye nodded sullenly. "Yes...of course."

Yuuko raised an eyebrow, and examined Fye slowly. Then, she prodded him with the lighted end of her cigarette.

"Ouch!" Fye jumped, startled, brushing away the sparks vigorously. "Why did you - "

She glared at him darkly. "Would I do any less, you mean, for having to listen to you lie to me?"

Gasping softly, he gaped at her in fright, but remained silent. 

"I don't take it lightly, you know," she resumed puffing her cigarette, ignoring the petrified gazes of her co-workers, "You lying and all. Sincerity is lacking in this day and age, but I would assume that, since you've seen all the insincerity of the streets of bloody Tokyo, you'd know better than that. 

"But I'll forgive you. We aren't all that sincere ourselves. But all the same, you don't understand. What is it that you don't understand about Mokona?"

Sighing, Fye turned his eyes towards Mokona, then Black Mokona. They were so tiny, so harmless in appearance. But learning the truth about them had hurt him that night. He thought that he was listening to the advice of a clever little magician, but he was fooled.

 There was definitely something that perplexed him still about the Mokonas...something that disturbed him greatly. 

"Ultimately...they're just toys. But how is it that they are able to make flawless decisions? How is it that they can find everyone's true love without fail? I saw the couples tonight. They were all deeply in love. How is it that the Mokonas can understand the depth of the human psyche, and link each individual with the person they are destined for...when it is only a machine?"

"It doesn't."

Fye blinked. It was Watanuki who'd spoken; he wore a regretful look on his face as he turned away from Fye's incredulous stare, and left his partner to sort out this last detail. 

For a while, Yuuko was silent. Then, "Do you believe in fate?"

Seeing that Fye clearly didn't have an answer to this, she exhaled softly, smoke pouring from her lips. Her eyes almost looked...sad, if that was possible. "No...maybe not. But you have decided that you believe in Mokona's abilities."

Here, Fye nodded tentatively. "It's given me no reason to think otherwise." He smiled bravely. "Seeing those happy couples that Mokona had made possible...it seemed almost too good to be true. And yet, there they were. There was no denying that miracles still existed in the world, to look at them. They'd given me hope that I, too, can have a true love one day. So, yes...I do believe in Mokona. Regardless of whether it is alive or mechanical, it made dreams come true for those people."

"What if I told you that all of the successful couples you'd seen tonight were almost completely random?" Yuuko questioned softly.

Staggering, Fye couldn't believe his ears. "W-What?"

"Everyone believes in Mokona's abilities. Your question was: how can Mokona decide who everyone is fated for?" She shook her head. "Truth is, it can't. Although Mokona's program is highly advanced and blocked from hackers by firewalls, the truth is, it's simply a scrambler machine. It takes someone like you, then takes everyone who is within 10 years of your age, and randomly matches you up with any given person who comes up." She chuckled, upon seeing Fye's shock. "Surprised?"

Fye refused to believe this. 

Sakura and Syaoran, Kazahaya and Rikuou, even Chii and Hideki...they looked so delighted, so perfect together! Did these people expect him to believe that their names were just snatched out of the blue and pinned together, and somehow managed to work out as well as they had done...?

"That's impossible; how is it that Mokona's couples are foolproof, then, if they are completely random?" He demanded. "Those kinds of coincidences don't exist!"

"Personally, I don't believe in coincidences, but I still believe in Mokona's abilities."

"How?"

"Because belief is the most powerful thing in the world," Yuuko responded crisply. There was such a powerful conviction in her tone and in her gaze, that it struck a chord in Fye's heart. "If two random people were put together with absolutely no basis, then yes, they probably would fail as a couple. But put those same two people together with the belief that they were meant to be together, and they would definitely succeed. 

"Mokona doesn't do anything that a random fling wouldn't do - except that it makes you believe in it. People like Syaoran and the others, who thought Mokona was magical, were automatically convinced; if such a thing as Mokona could exist, why couldn't a true love? If you could believe in Mokona's existence, then a soul mate became that much more credible. People who believe each other to be their soul mates with absolute conviction are willing to stay together and work things out no matter what...even if they dislike each other at the beginning. Faith is the invaluable foundation for love."

Listening to Yuuko's words with a trembling heart, Fye felt as though he was falling; his legs were so weak, they could barely hold him up as he struggled to retain his balance. Clinging onto a nearby branch, he took several deep breaths in order to calm himself down. 

A part of him was shattered, at that moment. He could feel it as truly as any physical thing. His heart felt like it was bleeding internally...Yuuko destroyed something in him that Mokona had implanted, something true and unquestionable, up until that moment.

"Y-You...are you saying that true love doesn't exist? T-That it is a relationship between two people driven by blind faith?"

"Most of the time," was her answer.

Watanuki gazed at her uncomfortably. "Yuuko...!"

"But you have to understand that that's the precious thing about love, the laughable thing. And also, the strongest thing," The woman smiled bitterly. "Even though there may not be anything such as 'true love', there is belief: the unpredictable force that can bring two people together, that can create joy and strife, and the birth of new hope. Through belief, two people with no reason for life can find reason to live on together. Belief can be terribly powerful. It's not an evil thing. It may have no basis, but no faith is evil." 

There was a short pause. 

"Come on, Watanuki...Maru, Moro, you, too. We don't have much else to do here. We've got to meet up with our next lonely bachlorette."

"...Right. This time, it's Suu, right?"

"Yep, Suu the idol singer, surrounded by fans but utterly alone. Her happiness shall come in the form of one grouchy policeman with a past, Kazuhiko. Her concert's not far away from here...let's get moving."

To the distraught Fye, Yuuko gave a sly look. 

"In case you're interested in knowing, Mokona was going to have you meet up with a private bodyguard...his name is Makaze Kurogane. He should be in the park anytime now, at the outer edges...next to the flower gardens." She winked mysteriously. "I'll have you do what you will with that little piece of trivia."

-

"Do I believe in fate...?"

Treading across the pathway, his steps heavier than usual and slower, Fye's slim, calloused feet mirrored the progress of his contemplation in their unsteady rhythm. His ears were numb to the cawing of the crows, the dancing of the wind around the organic stage he walked upon; all he could focus upon was the beating of his own heart, somewhat hollow and off-beat, as it was, with all the overwhelming emotions running through him at the time.

Love...it's not all a lie based on senseless belief, the selfish desire for happiness. He knew this without doubt. There are people in the world who started to believe in love after they'd found it unconsciously. And yet he knew that these people are rare and in between, and that there was truth to Yuuko's words, also.  

Her words echoed like a distant mantra in his head...

_"Belief can be terribly powerful. It's not an evil thing. It may have no basis, but no faith is evil."_

That was what she'd said. 

"But how can I believe her?" He whispered softly, closing his eyes. "How can I, when my faith in _him _had betrayed me...? I loved him and had all the conviction in the world that the two of us would be all right...but I lost him anyway."

His vision became blurred, as Fye realized that he was on the verge of shedding tears. Mumbling curses, he stumbled across to a park bench and sat down, cupping his face with his large slender hands as he wept. Harsh, bitter sobs gurgled from his throat as the memories of his former love rushed back to him like a swiftly widening torrent, beating down on his weakened heart and pounding away at his defenses with alarming success. 

"H-How can I b-believe again, when Ashura had b-betrayed m-me...?" He gasped, his voice horribly cracked and foreign even to his sensitive ears.  

"Who the hell are you?"

Startled by the surprisingly close voice, Fye choked on his breath. Coughing fiercely, he shuddered, drawing away from the source of the rude question. But despite the fact that he distanced himself from the shape that hovered near him, a large hand reached out and patted his back – a bit forcefully – nonetheless.

Hesitantly, he peered through his hands and tousled strands of blonde hair to see a large man hunched over him. Apparently, said man occupied the bench he'd stumbled upon long before he saw it. 

The other man had a rather aggressive look to him, as though he didn't make smiling politely a habit; his shoulders were widely built, his back slanted on a muscular curve. He was clearly tall, and…uncommonly handsome, as Fye noted, studying his well-structured face. He looked like a strong man…one whose occupation probably centered on labor, athleticism, and the like…maybe even…

Fye's eyes shot open. Apprehensively, he gazed with large, nervous eyes to the area of grass and trees beyond the man…and saw a young blond-haired gardener, hard at work tending the flowers with a gentle smile.

Unknowingly, he'd wandered into the flower gardens that Yuuko had mentioned earlier. 

But it couldn't be, Fye reasoned, staring at the man beside him. This person couldn't be the one whom Mokona had…

Just then, a young violet-haired girl and her entourage ran up to the bench, and all thoughts in Fye's mind ground to a halt at her words.

"Kurogane! So _that'_s where you were!"

-

**Tag-On Notes: **

**-**Bwahahahah! Honestly…how many of you guessed?

-Who do you suppose the pretty gardener was? Ehehehehe…take a good guess. Who's innocent and bubbly and completely natural to the point where he has no specific gender? Ahahahaha! (Yes, by god, I've got the Saiga laugh down perfectly!)

-Kurogane's a bodyguard in this fic. A violet-haired girl seems to know him. In Tsubasa, Kurogane worked with a violet-haired princess as a serving ninja. I'll let you make your own conclusions… ^-^

-One last chapter after this!


	7. Happiness

**The Magical Mokona Doll**

By CLAMPraven

**Disclaimer & Warnings: **

Same things apply in all chapters.

**Author's Notes:**

My goodness…the last chapter, already! It seems as though this fic was short-lived, but I will remember it fondly, of course. ^-^ Thank you to all who reviewed; I appreciated it very much! 

And now, I shall do a bit of obligatory ranting. ^-^;;

Tsubasa-RC's fan base is only going to grow larger and larger with the coming of the second volume and beyond. Something tells me that this series will be one of epic proportions. And my meager contribution to its popularity was to be expected; I've always loved CLAMP. Their stories run so smoothly, able to grasp you in even when you know, in some oddly logical corner of your mind, that they may not have a highly substantial plot (I read the first chapter of XXXHolic and was immediately drawn in…even though the story didn't even begin!). The ladies of CLAMP have such an interesting philosophy incorporated into every book, and their style and presentation are so highly original, that I have little doubt they'd be remembered as one of the most influential contributors to the art of manga.  

God, I still remember the days when I first saw Card Captor Sakura – I was 12, actually - and now it's come to the point where I'm writing Tsubasa fanfiction with a passion! Wonderful, isn't it? ^-^ My last CLAMP fic also happened to be CCS…and it wasn't done particularly well, because when I'd written it, I had only a fraction of the knowledge and appreciation I have now for CLAMP. Ultimately, this one has a few OOC moments in it, too…but at least I knew what the ending would be…two chapters ahead! (And that's an achievement! Usually, everything I do is a dash of spontaneity! -;;) So I'm proud of this work. Really, I am.

Now, why Fye and Kurogane? That's the question I've been meaning to clear up. Why those two indeed? Three reasons off the top of my head: they are complete opposites, and we all know what that entails (Kurogane has light eyes and dark hair, Fye has dark eyes and light hair…it all works, people!); with Syaoran completely devoted to Sakura's well-being, the majority of their time would be spent conversing with one another; and last but not least, Fye dubs Kuro-chan the cutest nicknames! Everything points to them being together…and even if CLAMP doesn't render them a couple at the end of everything (a likely possibility, since the group is quite mischievous), I predict lots of teasers – lots and lots of obnoxious teasers, if I know their style. ^-^

But I do believe that, despite the fact that Fye and Kurogane are adorable together, there was something going on between Fye and Ashura-oh that prompted the former to leave Celes. Yes, that kind of something. Hence…this chapter. ^_^ (Yes, I'm done! Whoo!)

-

CHAPTER 7

Happiness

The girl who'd called out Kurogane's name was quite young, Fye noted…no more than Syaoran's age. She was well proportioned for her age, with slim hands and a graceful stride. Her long, violet tresses were neatly plaited into one thick braid, which was tied with a shining red ribbon, and her dark eyes were gentle and compassionate. She had a shapely mouth with full lips, and a rather cute nose, and her skin was pale and smooth. She held herself up with the dignity that a young lady should, which was not often seen in society in this day and age, and she had a charming smile. Though she was young, it was easy to tell that she would one day grow into a beautiful woman.  

Strangely, a group of tall bodyguards surrounded her, giving her the prestige of a wealthy social princess. But what caught Fye's attention most strongly, however, was the fact that she wore a CLAMP campus official uniform… 

"Kurogane, we'd been looking all over for you!" It was a strangely comical sight, seeing this young lady chide the much larger Kurogane so. "You ran off, and I had no idea where to find you! Do you purposely make me distraught all the time?" 

She looked at him anxiously. "Do you have an explanation? Please tell me I was worried for good reason…"  

The huge man turned away, scowling, but refused to respond.

"Tomoyo-san, if I may suggest…" A tall, green-haired bodyguard hovering protectively over the girl leaned down to her, and whispered in concerned tones, "…I do believe that he ran off because he was embarrassed by the frilly costume you tried to force him into earlier…"

At this, Fye's ears perked up…not because of the bizarre situation the words suggest, but because of the name of the lovely young girl. Wiping away his tears with a grimy sleeve, he cupped his chin with his hands, attempting to focus…banishing all the anguish and turmoil in his heart, if only for a split moment. 

Tomoyo…? Where had he heard that name before…?

"SHUT UP!" Kurogane sprang up immediately upon hearing the young bodyguard, pointing an accusing finger at her, all the while blushing a raging red. "Who told you that you could talk for me, Souma? And you," he glared ferociously at Tomoyo, who continued to smile amusedly, "It's about damn time that you stopped making those ugly costumes anyway! Sakura gives you permission to use her as your dress-up doll because she actually manages to stand you, but making your hired work go through the same treatment is - "

"…Cruel and unusual punishment?" Tomoyo injected innocently.

"E-Exactly!" Kurogane paused for a moment. "What the hell…! You mean you do that o-on purpose?"

She laughed gently. "Well, you do look adorable when you're angry…" 

"WHAT? That's your pathetic reason? I ought to kill you!"

"Kurogane! How could you threaten Tomoyo-san that way?"

"Holy – " Kurogane slapped himself in exasperation. "For the last damn time, Souma – "

Suddenly, the missing link occurred to Fye. Shocked, he stared at the group as the argument ensued, but mostly at the ever-composed young girl. "Sakura…? Kurogane had mentioned Sakura's name. Syaoran had said that Sakura's friend was named Tomoyo…and attends CLAMP school! Then surely, this must be the same person!"

With a start, he realized that said person was now gazing fixedly on him, with a surprised expression. Souma and Kurogane appeared to have stopped bickering also, having heard him speak. He blinked, and rose out of his sitting awkwardly.

"I'm sorry…I'd spoken too loudly." He smiled pathetically, his eyes still bloodshot and his stance vulnerable, and bowed in apology. "I'm interfering. I'll leave you all alone…"

"No…please, wait."

It was Tomoyo who decided to approach him. Grabbing his sleeve, she stopped him from leaving. With a worried expression, she retrieved a handkerchief from her pocket and offered it to him, her eyes distressed. "We should be apologizing, not you! Are you all right? What's your name…?" She frowned, perplexed. "And…how do you know Syaoran and Sakura…?"

-

Moments later, he was seated upon the bench again, but with Tomoyo and Souma to one side of him and Kurogane to another. Tomoyo had dismissed the rest of her bodyguards, allowing them all to wait for her at her limousine. She had gladly volunteered to stay by Fye's side, even though it was late in the night, to make sure he was no longer upset. Souma, her benevolent and devoted bodyguard, had also gladly remained at her side through this, but Kurogane…

"Why the hell do I have to stay here in the cold with this guy?" Kurogane barked indignantly at Tomoyo, as Fye returned her handkerchief with moist fingertips. "It's none of my business what his problem is!"

The girl gazed at him kindly, but there was a silent undertone behind her seemingly calm expression. "Now, now, Kurogane! You have to stay, because you happened to be near him when I arrived; therefore, I have no idea whether it was you who made him cry. And if you did, then you are not going anywhere until this matter is resolved."

"What? I sure as hell did NOT make this idiot cry!"

"Kurogane!" Souma hissed dangerously. "There you go again!" She turned to Fye with an embarrassed look, all the while glaring out of the corners of her eyes at Kurogane, who glared back stubbornly.  "I apologize for his behavior, sir. He's not the most considerate person you'll ever meet."

Fye smiled, and shook his head. "It's quite all right. I'm sure he doesn't mean it."

Beside him, Kurogane snorted. "Sure, I didn't."

"Kurogane…!"

"Never mind the two of them…they bicker constantly; there's no help for them." Tomoyo sighed heavily in resignation. "Usually, I think that it's quite amusing, since it's never very serious…but right now, it does not fit the occasion. You seem to be troubled. Is there something that you'd like to say?"

Startled, Fye instinctively shivered. Truly, there was something haunting him, unseen and devastating. Words could not describe how much he wanted to be rid of them. And yet… 

"No…there's nothing."

But he could not possibly say what he wished to say, could not confide in the compassionate trio. As much as he wished he could, he was not brave enough; he'd never been bold enough to relinquish his troubles to the wind, to share his burden with others. It was not in his nature. He closed his eyes, trying to banish his demons once again, trying his very hardest to make them go away on his own…

There was a moment of silence, wherein Fye hear most significantly the rapid beating of his own heart. Deep inside, he prayed that none of them would pity him, would see that something was terribly wrong with him. Then…

"You'd better leave." It was Kurogane's voice, and Fye shuddered. Mokona could've done a better job of choosing a true love for him…that was for certain… 

"Yes, I should…shouldn't I?"

"…Not you, you idiot." 

Startled, Fye stared up at Kurogane, who gestured to Tomoyo and Souma. "I asked those two to leave. Clearly, you're not going to talk about anything in front of a group, even if it is a closely knit one…" He glared at Fye darkly, "…So if we're ever going to get a confession out of you, you're going to have to talk directly to me." 

"Ah…b-but…" Fye stuttered, at a loss for words.

"That's not a bad idea!" Tomoyo beamed. "Who knew that Kurogane would volunteer himself for this? And while the two of you talk, I can go to the fountain! Sakura and Syaoran said that they were going to meet there tonight, to look at the moon, if nothing else – as if those two need an excuse to look cute together! So I can go videotape them!"

"But…but…!"

"That is true…I do have your video camera," Souma held up a small black bag, approximately the size of the camera. She still looked dubious, however. "But Kurogane…are you sure he wouldn't scare him silent?"

"Nonsense. Kurogane is more sensitive than he seems," Tomoyo reassured her. She turned to Fye with a brilliant smile. "Then, it's decided! We'll go off and leave you two alone, so you can say whatever you feel like without being uncomfortable. We'll be back in a while, so by the time we return, I expect considerable progress!"

With a strong wave and a cheerful "Good luck!", she bounded off in the direction of the fountain with tall Souma in tow, leaving Fye utterly speechless.

How was he to say anything with the stoic Kurogane, anyhow?

"Thank you." Fye turned back to him, with a hesitant smile on his face. "B-but why did you volunteer to stay with me? I thought you didn't want to – "

"Well, truth be told, Tomoyo's a cute girl, and really polite; I like her well enough, but she has some raving psychotic tendencies whenever she makes those costumes of hers." Kurogane rolled his eyes. "Kids…and Souma's just plain disagreeable. Anytime that I get to spend away from them whenever they're hyper is a goddamned miracle."

Fye couldn't help but chuckle at this. "You…really are fond of them, though."

Raising an eyebrow, the larger man grunted, and turned away. "For an asshole with a stupid smile on his face all the time…you're still more perceptive than the average person." He glared down at the ground. "But I guess I'd have to expect that, since you're not the average person."

"Pardon…?"

"It was part of the reason why I wanted to hear you speak more. At first, I didn't recognize you…but the more I listened to you chatter, the more familiar your voice seemed, and the more certain I was that I'd heard your voice before." 

Gazing at him from an angle, there seemed to be a different light in his shapely eyes, something more curious and contemplative that Fye had failed to notice before. Were those pessimistic, somber eyes always capable of this…?       

"Then I realized it. Your voice…I'd heard it once in the animated feature 'Hinata', that came out about half a year ago. You used to work for the Clover Project…didn't you?"

-

Caught off guard, Fye stared at Kurogane in utter disbelief. During the long months on the streets, those days of loneliness and constant struggle just to survive, no one else had recognized him for this before. And yet this irritable man, whom he knew only impartially and who didn't seem to care at all about his predicament, remembered him. How was it possible…?

The emotions from his past could not be barred forever…Fye knew this, even though he was intent on trying nonetheless. But with this person's words, words only meant as a tool for casual conversation, the feelings of his heart that had been buried alive resurged, invading his mind and heart. 

"Hinata". Everything that had happened during the course of its production returned to him now with the same depth and intensity, even in his memories. They were vivid triumphs, fears, and degradations…every moment captured in his mind in radiant ardor.

He knew that he could never let go.

"Yes…I did work for Clover," he whispered, allowing the repressed memories to resurface without meaningless denial. His voice was hoarse and indecisive, as though he was trying to remind himself of something forced underneath his silly smile. "Approximately six months ago, maybe more…I worked for Clover."

Kurogane narrowed his eyes. "So it's true. My ears didn't deceive me. You played a role in 'Hinata' when the movie was released…not that I'd normally watch that kind of movie," he added quickly, "but Souma wanted to see it, so Tomoyo and I went with her. Not a lot of people knew about that movie, since the Clover Project was this tiny studio in the middle of nowhere that could only pay for minimal advertising. The plot was all fluff and nonsense, but you were one of the voice actors…that I know for sure."

"Fluff and nonsense…is that what you thought of it?" Fye chuckled quietly, his eyes somewhat sad. "Yes…a lot of other people did, too."

"Why? What's your problem?"

"The voice acting part that I had was only had in fun…I don't suppose you read the credits – not that people do that nowadays – but I…" 

He sighed heavily. 

"I directed that movie." 

"What the hell? Y-You're not serious…!" Kurogane's eyes bulged out in disbelief, his jaw flapping. "YOU directed that thing…?"

Fye laughed at the amusing reaction. Tomoyo was right…seeing him panic was a surprisingly funny sight. "Yeah…it was my last work. I didn't like it very much myself…seeing it, that is. I'd only seen it once after it was released in theaters, and I cried so much that time, I felt sick to my stomach."

"Hell…it wasn't that sad!" Kurogane exclaimed.

"No, the storyline itself was considered somewhat unrealistic, so it ended up being less miserable than it was intended to be. But the material came from my experiences. Upon seeing that movie in its completed form, everything that happened before, everything that it was based upon, came back to me, and I cried. I cried until I couldn't cry anymore, I pitied myself so much." 

Fye glanced at Kurogane with gentle eyes. "You remember what 'Hinata' was about, don't you? A young girl by the movie's name, who was born into a rich family, fell in love with a street artist named Asou Shirou. She became a model for his paintings, and his inspiration; they talked often every day, even though her parents disapproved, and she learned that Shirou was an intelligent and considerate person. Because Shirou could not sell his paintings, however, he eventually resorted to stealing, which got him into a lot of trouble; when he was discovered to be a criminal, he and Hinata elope, traveling on a train and by sea to find a place where they could start anew. Most of the movie involved the two lovers traveling, pursued by the police, and Hinata seeing the world outside of her sheltered lifestyle.

"It was a story of love, and I was unaccustomed to writing stories of love…because I'd never fallen in love before. I had no idea what kind of material would be realistic. But back when I'd begun writing the script, I was truly in love, for the first time, with a man who also worked at the Clover Project. I was utterly happy. 

"That was why, at the beginning, the movie was supposed to have a happy ending. Hinata and Shirou would, eventually, be accepted by the world and live happily together.

"Ashura was an animator at Clover; he was foreign, having lived most of his life in India. He was tall, dashing…incredibly handsome, with a gentle face. He had a strong work ethic, and was serious most of the time; he didn't smile a lot, now that I think about it…"

"Then how the hell did he get stuck with you?" Kurogane wondered out loud.

Fye laughed. "I'm more serious than I look…and besides, it wasn't as though we had no common interests. He and I both put our every effort into making Clover a success, because we were both with the project since the beginning. We were part of the original team that invented the concept…an animation studio that would focus on human relationships. As you probably noticed, all the films that were ever created by the Clover Project had special motifs, and common styles of art."

Scratching his chin, Kurogane nodded, acknowledging this. "Yeah…I always kind of wondered about that. Before 'Hinata', Clover came out with another film named 'Hisui', about a journalist who fell in love with a mental patient when he had to do an article on human psychology. I'd watched a bit of that one, when Souma bought it. There was a lot of empty space and silence within the film, and there were these constant uses of shadows. There was scarcely any dialogue. The film was short, but despite all the emptiness within it, it used its time well and it was particularly effective. 'Hinata', too, was like that."

"All of the films by Clover strive to convey as much emotion as they can using only as many words as necessary," Fye explained. "We believed that words are easily misinterpreted, and do not convey emotions the best way; most of the time, it's not so much as what a person says as what they don't say that haunts the audience's mind. Without the distraction of words, people are better able to concentrate on the character's faces, their physical interaction…perhaps sensing their awkwardness or hesitation.

"In any case, I directed most of the films by the Clover Project…not 'Hisui', though, because I had no idea how to write a love film that deep back then. Before Clover, I had a hard time finding a job, but then after the project began, I was employed privately. The films created by that studio had enjoyed moderate success amongst the thespian communities, so we made enough money to keep ourselves supported.  

"I worked often with Ashura when I was employed by Clover, because his character designs for my ideas seemed to bring out something that others couldn't. I myself don't draw very well." Fye giggled embarrassedly. "All the other animators couldn't understand my ideas for my characters very well. When I asked for a design for 'Hinata', none of them could capture the idea of the innocent little girl. It caught me by surprise that Ashura, who had just begun his job there and was still somewhat hesitant about the studio's methods, could connect with my ideas in such a way that he created the perfect character design for Hinata, the one used in the movie…with large, wondrous eyes and short hair, always clutching her teddy bear. 

"He seemed to understand me. It was hard to find help like him. During the time when I was still concocting the plot – back then, 'Hinata' was supposed to be a dramatic horror - he often visited me in my office and contributed his own ideas whenever they could help. I began to like him then; some of my co-workers thought that he was overly serious and commanding – they gave him the name 'Ashura-oh' because of how arrogant he was sometimes – but he seemed to act differently towards me than he did towards others. Around me, he was always warm and friendly. It was a drastic difference, and whenever I saw him, I felt a foreign and unusual sensation within my heart…

"In due time, I found out why. When I finally finished the first draft of the 'Hinata' plot and was about to send it in to the editor, Ashura came to my office and said the words that I thought he'd never say. He told me that he loved me. And somehow, we came to kiss. I gave into my feelings…feelings of love I never knew would grow so strong, so fast. 

"That day, I tore up the original 'Hinata' plot, and rewrote it…as a romance. Certainly, it took a long time to redo, but…I couldn't write a thriller, in that state of mind. I had just found something undeniably wonderful. I hadn't the heart to write about anything else…

"For some reason, though, Ashura didn't like the genre change. He…he'd come into my office, and he'd look at the script as I wrote it. And he'd offer his advice, as usual, but whenever he saw the character sketches of Hinata and Shirou together, as a couple, he'd frown…and he'd ask me to change the ending.

" 'Hinata doesn't even know what kind of person Shirou is. Being able to trust him that way…she is not facing the realities of life. It would not be true love...just Hinata's one-sided belief that everything would be okay.' That was what he told me. 'Change the ending, Fye…such a couple cannot remain happy together.'

"And I'd always be puzzled as to why he said these things. He and I were together, and clearly, he was as happy as I was. So why was he so much against the happy ending of the movie? It reflected our relationship in more than one way. Why…why doesn't he accept that Hinata and Shirou would be okay?

"We worked on the movie for months on end. There was hardly enough time to be together for Ashura and me, because his department needed him to work on the character designs and animation, and I needed to finalize the production. We were separate most of the time, but whenever we did come together, he would ask about the plot. 

" 'Are you going to change the ending?' He always asked me this, and whenever I shook my head and said I didn't, his face would grow sad, and he would smile and say to me, 'You're such an idealistic person, Fye…and I wish I had your optimism.'

'Ashura told me, towards the end of the production, that he was going to move back to India for a short while after the movie was finished, to see his family. His family was poor, he'd said, and they would be glad to see that he could help support them, if only minimally. I sympathized with him, and I gave him some of my own money, and because I trusted him so, I gave him access to my bank account, as well. He appeared reluctant to take these gifts at first, but I eventually convinced him that it was okay.

"And while preparations were being made for Ashura's trip, everyone at Clover worked hard, and we had almost completed the movie when the infamous fire occurred."

"A fire?" Kurogane queried, his voice surprisingly quiet

Fye nodded. For a moment, it seemed as though a shadow of bitterness passed over his face, a ghost of such profound regret and hatred that it scared Kurogane.  

"That's right. A fire. The entire studio burned down during the night; what remained of the foundations of the building was cleared out eventually. Most of 'Hinata' was saved…

"…Except the ending.

"When the fire was put out, and it was safe to examine the ruins, everyone who worked in the studio helped scavenge for the lost ending of 'Hinata'. We'd put a lot of effort into the final segment, making sure it was as powerful and full of significance as we could possibly achieve. We'd spent hours brainstorming the best possible way to end 'Hinata', and we refused to accept the fact that all the production notes, all the cels and illustrations had been burned to ash and insignificance.

"But truly, it was gone, everything that we'd done for the ending save one picture. It was a painting that I'd done in my spare time, a painting of Hinata and Shirou together at the very end. I'd envisioned the scene for a while, and although it was eventually changed, the painting reflected the very pose they were in, the very expressions on their faces.

"It was ripped in half…right between Hinata and Shirou's tight embrace. The police tried to gather fingerprints from that painting, but we were informed that the person had been wearing gloves when he'd ripped it apart, and it was not possible. Everything about the crime was flawless, and there was no evidence at all.

"All the same, when I looked at the painting, something struck me," Fye whispered. A single tear rolled down his cheek, and dribbled onto the warm scarf that Hideki had lent him earlier. He shut his eyes tightly, but all the same, his moist eyes brimmed with more such tears, tainting his usually joyous expression. "It-it was too much like something that he would do. 

"So I went home immediately after I saw it, fearing the worst. In my apartment, where Ashura and I spent countless nights together, I found a note in his unruly scrawl. 

"He'd taken everything. Not just from my meager account, but from the Clover Project's. He'd stolen all of Clover's funds, and all of mine as well. In the note, he'd explained it all. He didn't mean to rob from me, but when I gave him my account number, it said…well, what else would he have done…? He felt the need to teach me a lesson, a harsh one but one that he felt was necessary. Love that was based on belief, based on trust…"

Fye shook his head fiercely, and opened his eyes to the chilly air, allowing the streams to flow down his face. Shivers ran through his entire body, recounting the horror he'd felt when he read Ashura's confession with absolute clarity. 

He needed to say this, he screamed inside his mind as he gritted his teeth.

"That kind of love, that he and I had…that Hinata and Shirou had…it isn't real…! It would've never fulfilled Ashura, and he wanted me to know that. He ripped apart the painting…he set fire to Clover…because he wanted me to know. He wanted me to learn this…right before he left for his country. 

"No one could ever catch him. He'd planned his scheme very well. I doubt the police ever caught him…after all, I never showed his note to anyone. I could never betray such a man. 

"I loved only an image of him…the kind, gentle Ashura who could do no wrong, the Ashura I wanted to see…but he truly loved me, more than I could say...for my weaknesses as well. He needed to tell me this. He did what he did to me, so that if I ever got a chance to love again, I wouldn't get hurt. That's how much he loved me."

Kurogane glared at him in disbelief and rage. There was something in his eyes that Fye couldn't explain. Did he actually care…?

"…But he…hurt you."

"All the same…he meant well…" Fye tried to laugh, but couldn't succeed. Instead, what came out was a pathetic choking sound, and he turned away in grief, unable to look the other man in the eye. "It w-was for my own good, and – "

"…So that you wouldn't get hurt ever again," Kurogane finished, his quiet voice concealing the infuriation he felt in his heart. "But that bastard forgot one thing. In order to protect you from hurt, he hurt you himself. Would you…just for one goddamned second…"

With his strong hands, he grabbed Fye's frail shoulders, forcing their eyes to meet.

"…Look at me?"

Fye tried to twist himself away from the forceful grasp, but the man was too strong. Through misty, bloodshot eyes, he could hardly see the outlines of Kurogane's features, his demonic eyes and his irritated scowl…but it wasn't because of his vision, he soon realized. 

It was because they weren't there. They were replaced by an expression so full of anxiety and mortification that made Fye's breath catch in his throat.

"Why the hell do you pity that guy? After what he did to you, why do you give him an excuse for something that was probably the most spontaneous and ignorant thing I'd ever heard done in my entire life?" His voice was incredulous…it almost sounded insulting. "How can you be this pathetic?"

"Because belief is more important than love…!"

With a swift yank, Fye writhed away from an awestruck Kurogane's clutches, and collapsed onto the bench, facing away. He was certain he'd rather die than look into those hauntingly beautiful eyes again. 

"Belief is more important than love," he sobbed through his hands, his voice barely audible, as the full impact of what he'd said sank in. "If…If I believe in Ashura's love for me…it doesn't matter if it isn't true. It d-doesn't matter…it doesn't…so long as I believe. So long as I c-convince myself that it is him I'll always love."

And as he said it, he wondered why he said it with such sincerity.

Unknowingly…subconsciously…

…Had he known Yuuko was right all along, and tried to suppress it?

Was it all in his mind? That Ashura loved him…was it a last measure of desperation? Did he fool himself into thinking it, and shut himself inside the safe haven that was but an illusion? 

Yuuko…was right.

Belief was more important than love. 

His love…with Ashura…the love between the two leads of "Hinata"…they'd both been based on belief: his belief…only his belief, that everything would be all right. Even when he was betrayed, he believed. Even when he was smiling through bitter tears, he believed. His belief was so blind that…

…That…

…It wasn't true love…either.

And just when he, wracked with the torment of this realization, was about to scream in agony…

…Kurogane opened his mouth, and quietly said something that made Fye open up his eyes in pure wonder and amazement.

"That may be true. Belief is probably more important than love. But happiness…"

Turning around, Fye gazed at him in unparalleled awe. Something had happened to the crude, unflattering man who'd stood beside him just a moment ago. He was completely transformed…surrounded by a radiant light, a hope that Fye had thought was dead inside of his frigid heart.

"…Happiness is more important than anything." Stepping forward, he reached out his long, calloused fingers, touching the other's cheek with surprising gentleness. "And if you believe something, and it renders you unhappy…there is no excuse for not making amends for what you'd done."

-

"Kurogane! Fye-san!" 

Turning his head, Fye recognized the familiar shape of Tomoyo through his teary eyes, as she ran up towards them, her video camera in tow. Behind her was Souma, jogging at brisk pace, and struggling to catch up with the energetic younger girl. And following the two of them was Sakura and Syaoran, hand in hand, as adorable a couple as they'd ever been together…trailing behind at a more leisurely pace.

Instinctively, Kurogane withdrew his hand and tucked it into a pocket, looking somewhat grumpy as he did so. Wiping his eyes, Fye managed a genuine smile at Tomoyo, who – upon running up and closely inspecting the red rims of his large eyes - frowned with disapproval.

"Kurogane! Did you make Fye-san cry?" She scolded critically.

"What the hell? I told you already! Why the hell would I make this idiot cry?" Kurogane yelled defensively, returning quite naturally to his normal voice level. "He cried on his own, the stupid wimp!"

Souma shook her head, and sighed exasperatedly. "Just as I thought. Fye-san, don't take offense to this insensitive jerk…"

"None taken, I assure you," Fye laughed gently.

"Who's an insensitive – !!"

"I think she means you," Tomoyo's grin widened, as Kurogane flared up. 

"STOP stating the friggin OBVIOUS!!"

"Hanyaan…" Sakura sweatdropped embarrassedly as she approached the commotion. "Tomoyo…Kurogane…!"

Syaoran greeted Fye hesitantly. "Fye-san…it's good to see you again. But what happened? You look like you've been crying heavily…are you sure you're all right?"

"I'll be okay."

Fye nodded with conviction in his eyes. He then turned away, gazing in silent admiration at Kurogane, who was currently engaging in a verbal conflict with Tomoyo…and not a particularly sophisticated one, either.

"If you hurt Fye-san, I'll make you wear the clown costume!"

"Shit, Tomoyo! For the last damn time, I did NOT make him cry!!"

"Although…I do also have that ballerina costume…"

"TOMOYO – ! Don't give me that! I do NOT need to hear about your cosplay closet of doom, damn it!"

Was it true love…?

Underneath his gruff and uninviting exterior, he'd found a gentle heart inside Kurogane…Fye knew that he would never forget the kindness shown to him that night. As Fye smiled upon him secretly, taking in the tall man's every feature, memorizing his condescending voice and his sharp eyes, he also knew that he might never see this person again.

How did Kurogane know exactly what to say to him, just when his anguish and misery threatened to consume him? How did he know…?

_"Happiness is more important than anything." _

That was what he'd said.

No matter what, you cannot have love without belief. But why would anyone believe if it doesn't bring him or her happiness…? Why would the world go round, if not to shine the sun on the multitude of life that inhabits this lonely little planet, so that people can smile and go on dreaming?

Fye had been so busy believing that he didn't realize that it wasn't helping him. But he realized this now. Somehow, he knew…all thanks to loud, angry Kurogane.

Happiness…

What would make him happy…?

That was all that mattered in the world.

"Kurogane," he called out softly. Upon seeing that Kurogane was still embroiled in his heated debate with Tomoyo, he raised his voice, more confidently this time. "Kurogane."

"Huh?" The person in question turned around. "What is it?"

Beaming, Fye tilted his head, resting his chin on one shoulder. His cheeks were tinted rosy red, as he approached Kurogane shyly. All around him, the others had ceased their infantile chatter, and their eyes were drawn magnetically to the two individuals, now standing face-to-face, eye-to-eye. 

And Fye kissed him. 

Softly, their lips caressed, in a fantastic moment when even the birdsong paused; Kurogane couldn't have been any more surprised, but he reciprocated the kiss, drawing Fye closer to him with his burly arms, running his fingers through the pale locks of hair. Meanwhile, Syaoran and Sakura's jaws dropped simultaneously, while Souma simply gaped, her eyes fixated upon the scene; Tomoyo simply smiled, relishing the quiet exchange.

And when the two parted, slightly breathless, Fye's face was a flushed red, but his intense eyes were opened wide, as though they'd previously been weary and disconnected with reality. His usually dreamlike, goofy expression was gone now, replaced by a look that said he was wholly awake, having just experienced something incredible.

"So…this is true love," he murmured happily, clinging onto Kurogane, who hugged him back numbly. "This is…happiness."

Impressed but all the same confused, Kurogane fixed him with a questioning look. "What…did you do that for…?"

Fye laughed. 

"It's because I love you. Being together makes me feel happy. It doesn't matter now, what happened in the past. I feel like looking forward, to see where my steps are leading me. And I will do what is right for myself…starting today, starting with you, Kuro-chan."

Kurogane's eyes bulged out in indignant horror. Beside him, Tomoyo stifled her stream of giggles with her palm.

"KURO-CHAN?? What the hell kind of a nickname is THAT?"

-

It was a blustery night…a night of the hustle and bustle of the streets, for it was the night of the full moon, a rare and wondrous event. The dingy streets were filled with smoke and an all-consuming racket of people and their loud problems.

But in Tsubasa Park, all is right in the world. 

Never again forget, as Fye shall never forget, that your happiness overrides all. It's even more powerful…than belief.


End file.
